THIS    BOOK    IS    PLACED    IN   THIS    LIBRARY 

ON  BEHALF  OF  THE 

SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTIST  GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

BY    THE 

AMERICAN  SABBATH  TRACT  SOCIETY 
PLAINFIELD,  NEW  JERSEY,  U.  S.  A. 


Columbia  JHnibersiitp    ^ 

in  tlje  Cttp  of  i^eto  ^oxk 


LIBRARY 


GIVEN    BY 


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A  SERIES  OF  HISTORICAL  PAPERS  WRIT- 
TEN IN  COMMEMORATION-  OF  THE 
ONE  HUNDREDTH   ANNIVERSARY 
OF  THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE 
SEVENTH    DAY   BAPTIST  GEN- 
ERAL CONFERENCE:  CELE- 
BRATED  AT  ASHAWAY, 
RHODE     ISLAND, 
AUGUST  20-25,  1902 


Vol.  I. 


Printed  For 
THE  SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTIST  GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

by  the 

American  Sabbath  Tract  Society 

Plainfield,  New  Jersey 

1910 


COPYRIGHTED  1910  by  the 
American  Sabbath  Tract  Society 


1 


TO 

THE    MEMORY    OF    THE    PAST 

AND 

THE    HOPE    OF    THE    FUTURE 

THESE  RECORDS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT 
ARE   REVERENTLY    DEDICATED 


PREFACE 

This  book  consists  of  a  series  of  historical  papers  writ- 
ten to  commemorate  the  One  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the 
formal  organization  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Con- 
ference, which  was  celebrated  at  the  regular  annual  session 
of  the  General  Conference  held  with  the  First  Hopkinton 
Church,  at  Ashaway,  Rhode  Island,  August  20-25,  1902, 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference  held 
two  years  before,  in  August,  1900,  a  Committee,  consisting 
of  Charles  C.  Chipman,  as  chairman,  and  Rev.  Boothe  C. 
Davis,  D.  D.,  President  of  Alfred  University,  William  Clarke 
Whitford,  D.  D.,  President  of  Milton  College,  Rev.  Theo- 
dore L.  Gardiner,  D.  D.,  President  of  Salem  College,  Rev. 
Clayton  A.  Burdick,  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  and  William  R. 
Potter,  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  programme  suitable  for 
the  contemplated  celebration. 

At  the  next  session  of  the  General  Conference,  in  August, 
1901,  the  Committee  submitted  a  report,  in  which  provision 
was  made  for  twenty-three  papers,  covering  practically  every 
phase  of  the  history  of  the  activities  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Denomination,  from  the  time  of  the  appearance  of 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  England  down  to  August,  1902.  The 
original  aim  and  purpose  of  the  Committee  are  fairly  set  forth 
in  the  following  extracts  from  its  report : 

The  plan  of  the  Committee  in  preparing  this,  largely  a  historical 
programme,  is  to  present  a  careful  review  of  the  past  in  such  a 
manner  that  future  efforts  along  all  lines  of  our  denominational  in- 
terests will  be  geatly  strengthened.  In  tliis  we  have  great  confidence, 
for  we  believe  that  while  our  young  people  know  but  little  of  our 
history,   rich   though   it   is,   and   a   history   which    is   highly   prized   and 


VI  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

admired  by  those  who  are  conversant  with  it,  such  a  review  of  the 
past  will  quicken  our  young  people  in  denominational  pride  and 
loyalty  as  nothing  else  will.  This  plan  will  also  accomplish  another 
thing  which  is  very  much  needed ;  viz.,  preserve  permanently  our 
history   in   a  popular   and  convenient  form    for  general    use. 

Our  plan  is  to  gather  up  the  history  of  all  lines  of  denominational 
work  from  the  date  of  organization  to  1902,  so  that  all  subsequent 
history  can  date  from  that  time.  The  papers  and  addresses  will  make 
a  valuable  historical  collection,  and  furnish  data  of  inestimable  value 
to  future  historians.  They  will  be  highly  prized  by  coming  genera- 
tions. 

The  Committee  desire  that  these  papers  be  historical  of  our  people, 
in  the  various  sections  covered  by  the  Associations,  along  lines  of 
education,  and  church  and  reform  work,  in  the  broad  sense,  and  not 
be  confined  to  the  exclusive  work  of  the  Denomination.  Each  Asso- 
ciation is  rich  in  historical  facts  concerning  our  people,  and  historical 
events  in  which  Seventh  Day  Baptists  have  been  engaged.  Our 
people  have  been  among  the  leaders  in  the  public  school  system,  and 
in  temperance  reform  movements.  Take,  for  exaiTfple,  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  influence  in  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island,  and  later  in 
the  State.  The  Seventh  Day  Baptists  cooperated  with  the  Baptists 
of  Rhode  Island  in  founding  Brown  University,  and  the  fact  that  the 
Charter  of  the  University  was  drawn  by  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist,  Samuel 
Ward,  and  that  there  was  Seventh  Day  Baptist  representation  on  the 
Board  of  Trustees  for  many  years,  are  facts  worthy  of  record,  and 
facts  of  which  every  Seventh  Day  Baptist,  old  or  young,  should  be 
proud.  Similar  instances  of  Seventh  Day  Baptist  influence  and  worth 
can  be  recorded  of  the  other  Associations. 

A  brief  mention  of  prominent  Seventh  Day  Baptists  who  have 
lived  in  the  Association,  and  who  were  actively  engaged,  or  deeply 
interested  in  denominational  work,  would  be  interesting.  For  ex- 
ample, in  the  Eastern  Association,  there  are  the  following :  Thomas 
B.  Stillman,  George  H.  Babcock,  Charles  Potter,  Professor  William 
A.  Rogers,  and  Mrs.  Ann  Lyon.  In  the  Central  Association,  the 
following  may  be  named :  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  Correll  D.  Potter, 
M.  D.,  Rev.  Eli  S.  Bailey,  Jason  B.  Wells,  and  Mrs.  Lucy  M.  Car- 
penter. In  the  Western  Association,  there  are :  William  C.  Kenyon 
and  Jonathan  Allen — both  presidents  of  Alfred  University — ,  Rev. 
Thomas  B.  Brown,  Rev.  Nathan  V.  Hull,  and  Mrs.  Melissa  B.  Ward 


PREFACE  Vll 

Kenyon.     A   similar   list   might   be    ofifered,    if   it  were   deemed   neces- 
sary,  of   each   of   the   other  Associations. 

We  feel  confident  that  all  persons  selected,  and  whose  names  are 
placed  on  the  programme,  will  cooperate  with  the  Committee  to  the 
end  that  the  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  General  Conference  at 
Ashaway,  Rhode  Island,  August,  1902,  may  be  a  great  success,  and  that 
the  minutes  of  the  session  will  be  the  most  valuable  collection  of  histor- 
ical facts  that  have  ever  been  compiled  and  published  by  our  people. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  was  adopted,  and  the 
necessar}^  arrangements  made  for  carrying-  the  programme 
and  the  accompanying  recommendations  into  effect. 

While  several  of  the  papers  were  read  in  full  at  the 
session  of  the  General  Conference  in  1902,  many  were  read 
by  title,  only,  for  lack  of  time.  Meanwhile,  Rev.  William 
Clarke  Whitford,  President  of  Milton  College,  who  was  ex- 
pected to  write  a  History  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  America 
Previous  to  1802,  had  been  claimed  by  the  hand  of  death  be- 
fore his  task  was  completed,  and  Rev.  William  C.  Daland 
had  been  unable  to  prepare  a  History  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists 
in  England.  Arrangements  were  made  to  have  these  papers 
written  by  others. 

Moreover,  upon  the  joint  recommendation  of  its  Exe- 
cutive Committee,  and  its  Committee  on  Finance,  the  General 
Conference  voted  that  these  historical  papers  should  be  printed 
in  book  form,  in  an  edition  of  one  thousand  copies,  or  more, 
and  the  price  of  the  work  was  fixed  by  General  Conference 
at  a  mere  nominal  sum.  Consequently,  a  large  deficit  in  the 
cost  of  the  book  was  anticipated ;  but  concerning  that,  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  made  this  significant  statement: 

This  deficit  should  not  be  looked  upon  as  lost  money.  It  is  an 
investment  which  we  as  a  people  make  to  build  a  permanent  historical 
monument  for  the  perpetuation  of  our  history,  and  for  the  propagation 
of  the  Sabbath  truth. 


VIU  SEVENTH-DAY  BATTISTS  I 

A  Committee  on  Publication,  consisting  of  the  following 
members,  was  then  appointed :  Henry  M,  Maxson,  Rev. 
Earl  P.  Saunders,  Charles  C.  Chipman,  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main, 
D.  D.,  Rev.  James  L.  Gamble,  D.  D.,  and  Orra  S.  Rogers. 
This  Committee  was  instructed  "to  take  charge  of  the  whole 
matter  of  editing,  and  publication  of,  the  minutes  and  papers, 
with  power  to  depart  from  the  above  recommendations,  if 
circumstances  seemed  to  make  it  necessar}-." 

The  work  of  publication  proceeded  very  slowly.  Several 
of  the  authors  of  the  various  papers  began  to  realize  the 
value  of  the  opportunity  before  them,  and  insisted  upon  the 
privilege  of  further  research,  and  subsequent  revision  of  their 
respective  papers.  The  treatise  upon  the  South-Eastern  As- 
sociation grew  to  such  proportions  that  the  author  found, 
after  four  years  of  research,  that  he  had  sufficient  material 
for  a  royal  octavo  volume  of  500  pages,  and  A  History  of 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  West  Virginia  was  the  result. 

The  one  to  whom  was  originally  assigned  the  subject 
of  the  Eastern  Association,  after  repeated  attempts  to  do  the 
work,  found  himself  unable  to  perform  the  task,  for  lack  of 
time.  Another  writer  was  found,  who  would  undertake  the 
work  upon  condition  that  he  be  given  a  full  year  to  complete 
it.  The  excellence  of  the  result  fully  justified  the  delay  thus 
occasioned. 

Once  again,  it  seemed  wise  to  the  Committee  to  in- 
clude in  the  book  some  historical  account  of  the  German 
Seventh  Day  Baptists,  and  Dr.  Julius  F.  Sachse,  who  has  de- 
voted a  great  many  years  to  the  study  of  that  subject,  accepted 
an  invitation  to  prepare  it.  Owing  to  manifold  other  duties 
of  an  exacting  character,  he  was  compelled  to  relinquish  the 
task,  however,  and  the  sketch  was  prepared  by  another  hand. 

After  careful  consideration,  the  Committee  decided  to 
include  a  large  number  of  pictures  in  the  book.     Illustrations 


PREFACE  IX 

are  no  longer  regarded  as  a  mere  embellishment  of  a  his- 
torical work.  They  are  a  necessary  part  of  a  complete  record. 
For  example,  no  description  in  words,  however  rich  and  full 
of  detail,  can  convey  to  the  mind  anything  of  the  grace  and 
beauty  of  the  pulpit  of  the  old  Newport  Church,  with  its 
striking  approaching  stainvay,  and  its  overhanging  sounding- 
board  of  surpassing  elegance,  that  a  single  picture  can  afiford, 
in  a  mere  glance. 

The  selection  of  the  illustrations  has,  of  itself,  been  no 
light  task.  Obviously,  a  choice  had  to  be  made,  since  even 
after  making  a  generous  allowance  for  what  might  be  inex- 
pedient or  not  germane,  many  very  desirable  subjects  re- 
mained that  could  not  be  included  for  lack  of  space. 

Consequently,  illustrations  were  chosen  by  classes,  some- 
what after  the  following  plan: 

1.  Representative  pastors  from  each  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Associations:  namely,  Eastern,  Central,  Western, 
South-Eastern,  North-Western,  and  South-Western. 

2.  Foreign  missionaries. 

3.  Representative  evangelists. 

4.  Representative  missionary  workers. 

5.  Representative  denominational  lay  workers  and  bene- 
factors. 

6.  Foreign  ministers   and  writers. 

7.  Sabbath   reformers,   and   writers   upon   the   Sabbath. 

8.  Representative  teachers  in  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
schools,  including  presidents,  and  others,  of  DeRuyter  In- 
stitute, Alfred  University,  Milton  College,  Salem  College, 
Alfred  Theological  Seminary,  the  school  at  Fouke,  Arkansas, 
etc. 

9.  Presidents  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education 
Society,  and  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 
and  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society. 


X  SEVENTH-DAY  baptists: 

10.  Editors  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary 
Magazine,  Protestant  Sentinel,  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Regis- 
ter, Sabbath  Recorder,  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Memorial,  and 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Quarterly. 

11.  Presidents  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Con- 
ference. 

12.  Anthors  of  the  various  papers  contributed  to  this 
book. 

13.  Houses  of  worship  of  representative  churches  in 
each   Seventh  Day  Baptist  Association. 

14.  Buildings  and  grounds  of  Alfred  University,  Milton 
College,  Salem  College,  etc. 

15.  Various  Seventh  Day  Baptist  buildings  in  England, 
Holland,  and  China. 

16.  Miscellaneous. 

The  portrait  of  no  individual  occurs  more  than  once, 
except  in  the  case  of  one  or  two  unique  groups  of  special 
interest. 

After  spending  more  than  three  years  in  the  selection  of 
suitable  subjects  for  illustration,  and  after  consulting  with  nu- 
merous persons  familiar  with  Seventh  Day  Baptist  history 
and  biography,  among  whom  were  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main,  D.  D., 
Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Abram  H.  Lewis,  D.  D., 
LL.  D.,  Prof.  Edward  M.  Tomlinson,  Litt.  D.,  LL.  D.,  David 
E.  Titsworth,  Esq.,  and  others,  a  list  of  pictures  deemed 
acceptable  was  finally  made  by  the  Committee,  and  then  passed 
into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Corliss  F.  Randolph,  who  at  the  request 
of  the  Committee,  has  collected  the  pictures,  and  supervised 
the  making  of  the  half-tone  plates. 

It  is  a  cause  of  regret  to  the  Committee  that  several 
pictures  which  would  have  added  greatly  to  the  interest  and 
historical  value  of  the  book,  could  not  be  obtained. 

In  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  the  General  Con- 


PREFACE  XI 

ference,  the  Committee  has  had  an  exhaustive  index  made, 
which  will  add  inestimably  to  the  value  of  the  work. 

The  Committee  did  not,  find  it  practicable  to  attempt  to 
unify,  or  even  edit,  the  various  contributions  to  the  book, 
but  have  allowed  each  paper  to  appear  as  it  left  the  writer's 
pen.  That  the  various  treatises  overlap,  one  upon  another, 
and  contain  many  repetitions,  is  inevitable  from  the  very  nature 
of  the  work.  That  the  book  contains  many  errors,  both  of  fact 
and  of  mechanical  detail,  is  equally  true,  and  for  a  similar 
reason.  But  these  do  not  obtain  to  an  extent  sufficient  seriously 
to  affect  the  real  value  of  the  work.  Corrections  are  solicited, 
and  it  is  requested  that  they  be  sent  to  Mr.  Corliss  F.  Ran- 
dolph, of  Newark,  New  Jersey,  the  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Denominational  History,  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
General  Conference. 

Finally,  the  long-  continued  delay  of  seven  years  since 
this  work  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Committee,  has  been 
no  less  trying  to  the  Committee  than  to  the  impatient  sub- 
scribers, but  the  mighty  oak  does  not  grow  in  a  single  year, 
nor  is  a  magnificent  monument  built  in  a  day.  So  that,  if 
after  all  these  years  of  weary  waiting,  the  Committee  has 
succeeded  in  producing  a  record,  to  be  read  of  all  men,  which 
has  set  forth  something  of  the  centuries  of  struggle  and 
achievement  of  a  people  who,  besides  their  contribution  to  the 
ecclesiastical  life  and  character  of  the  world,  have  likewise  con- 
tributed something,  and  that  in  no  small  degree,  to  the 
national  fibre  of  the  two  mighty  English-speaking  nations  of 
the  earth;  and  if  besides  this  record,  there  has  been  erected 
a  fitting  monument  which  shall  reflect  something  of  the  glory 
of  this  achievement — and,  with  all  becoming  modesty,  the 
Committee  believe  that  this  has  been  done — then  the  delay 
has  not  been  in  vain. 

Plainfield,  Neiv  Jersey. 
August  I,  I  pop. 


TABLE  OF   CONTENTS 

VOLUME  I. 

Page. 
Preface   v 

List  of  Illustrations   xv 

Corrections    xxi 

What  Hath  God  Wrought!    By  Rev.  D.  Burdett  Coon  3 

The  Sabbath  From  The  Time  of  Christ  to  Its  Appear- 
ance in  England.     By  Rev.   Abram   Herbert 

Lewis   II 

Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  The  British  Isles.    By  Charles 

Henry  Greene  and  Rev.  James  Lee  Gamble.  . .         21 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  America  Previous  to  1802.    By 

Lewis  Alexander  Platts   119 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Conference,  1802  to 

ipo2.    By  Rev.  Arthur  Elwin  Main 149 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Memorial  Fund.    By  David  E. 

Titsworth    237 

The  Woman's  Board.    By  Mrs.  Emma  Tefft  Platts  ....       249 
The  Young  People's  Permanent  Committee.     By  Miss 

Agnes  Babcock    261 

The  Sabbath  School  Board.    By  Rev.  Ira  Lee  Cottrell.  .       271 
The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society.     By  Rev. 

Oscar  Uberto  Whitford  325 

The  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society.     By  Arthur  L. 

Titsworth    42 1 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society.     By  Rev. 

William  L.  Burdick 463 

Denominational  Schools : 

Alfred  Uiversity.    By  Rev.  James  Lee  Gamble  ....       487 

Milton  College.    By  Rev.  Edwin  Shaw 529 

Salem    College.      By    Rev.    Theodore    Livingston 

Gardiner 545 


XIV  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Denominational  Schools,  continued. 

Alfred   Theological  Seminary.     By  Rev.  William 

Calvin  Whitford    549 

Extinct  Schools.    By  Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore.  .       559 
DeRuyter  Institute.      By   Mrs.    Marie    (Still- 
man)  Williams 567 

The  Sabbath   Evangelising  and  Industrial   Asso- 
ciation.     By  William  C.  Hubbard 577 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

VOLUME  I. 

Rev.  Jonathan  Allen Frontispiece 

Rev.  D.  Burdett  Coon 3 

Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis il 

Charles  Henr}'  Greene  21 

Mill  Yard  Church    40 

Old  School  at  Mill  Yard 42 

Graveyard  and  Chapel  at  Natton 44 

John  Purser   46 

Nathanael  Bailey  64 

Rev.  William  H.  Black 68 

Rev.  Peter  Chamberlen,  M.  D yz 

Residence  of  Rev.  Peter  Chamberlen,  M.  D 74 

Bull  Steak  Alley   78 

Rev.  William  AL  Jones 80 

John  Slater 92 

Rev.  Joseph  Stennett 96 

Rev.  Samuel  Stennett 100 

Sir  William  Tempest 104 

Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts 119 

Redwood  Library  at  Newport,  Rhode  Lsland 136 

Henry   Collins    138 

Hon.  Samuel  Ward 140 

Lt.-Col.  Samuel  Ward 142 

Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main   149 

Silhouette  of  Rev.  Henry  Clarke   152 

A  Group  of  Representative  Pastors: 
Rev.  Daniel  Coon, 
Rev.    Simeon    IJabcock. 
Rev.  James  H.  Cochran, 

Rev.  Lewis  .\.  Davis 158 


XVI  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

Group  of  Representative  Lay  Workers : 
Joseph  Goodrich, 
Benjamin  Maxson, 
William  Stillman, 
Lester  T.  Rogers 17^ 

Group  of  Representative  Lay  Workers : 
Alfred  Stillman, 
Paul  Stillman, 
John  Bright, 
Jason  B.  Wells 176 

A  Group  of  Representative  Pastors : 
Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney, 
Rev.   Seth  L  Lee, 
Rev.  Azariah  A.  F.  Randolph, 
Rev.  Frederick  F.  Johnson   184 

A  Group  of  Representative  Lay  Workers : 
Edwin  S.  Bliss, 
William  Clarke  Burdick, 
Isaac  D.  Titsworth, 
David  Rose  Stillman 188 

A  group  of  friends  at  the  Home  of  Thomas  B.  Stillman. 

in  Plainfield,  New  Jersey,  June,  i860 192 

A  Group  of  Representative  Pastors : 

Rev.  Joel  Greene, 

Rev.  George  B.  Kagarise, 

Rev.  Henry  P.  Greene, 

Rev.   Stillman  Coon   194 

A  Group  of  Denominational  Lay  Workers : 

Amos  B.  Spaulding, 

Clarke  Rogers, 

Abram  D.  Titsworth, 

David  Dunn   198 

A  Group  of  Representative  Pastors : 

Rev.  Elston  M.  Dunn, 

Rev.  James  Summerbell, 

Rev.  Joshua  Clarke, 

Rev.  Julius  M.  Todd 200 


ILLUSTRATIONS.  XVU 

The  Hull  Family: 

Rev.  Nathan  Vars  Hull, 

Rev.  Varnum  Hull, 

Mrs.  Martha  (Hull)   Ernst. 

Rev.  Hamilton  Hull, 

Rev.  Oliver  Perry  Hull    204 

A  Group  of  Representative  l^astors : 

Rev.  Leroy  F.  Skaggs, 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis, 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis, 

Rev.  Andrew  P.  Ashurst  206 

A  Group  of  Representative  Lay  Workers : 

Jacob  D.  Babcock, 

George  B.  Carpenter, 

Edwin  G.  Champlin, 

Charles  H.  Stillman,  M.  D 208 

A  Group  of  Presidents  of  the  General  Conference: 

Rev.  Earl  P.  Saunders, 

Sands  C.  IMaxson,  M.  D., 

Walton  H.  Ingham, 

Nathan  H.  Langworthy  210 

A  Group  of  Representative  Pastors : 

Rev.  Jared  Kenyon, 

Rev.  George  J.  Crandall, 

Rev.  Hiram  P.  Burdick, 

Rev.  Calvert  W.  Threlkeld 214 

A   Group  of  Representative   Pastors : 

Rev.  Mordecai  B.  Kelly,  Sr., 

Rev.  Oliver  P.  Hull, 

Rev.  Anthony  Hakes, 

Rev.  Daniel  ]^>abcock 218 

First  Brookfield  Church,  at  Lconctrdsville,  New  York  .  .        220 

De  Ruyter  Church :  Interior  and  Exterior 224 

A  Group  of  Presidents  of  the  General  Conference: 

N.  Wardner  Williams, 

Henry  D.  Babcock, 

Frank  L.  Greene, 

S.  Whitford  Alaxson    226 


XVlll  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

A  Group  of  Ministers: 

Rev.  Edward  B.  Saunders, 

Rev.  Lebbeus  M.  Cottrell, 

Rev.  Oliver  D.  Sherman, 

Rev.  James  E.  N.  Backus 232 

Henry  M.  Maxson  2334? 

Charles  Clarence  Chipman 233^ 

Conference    Tent    (1902),    and    the    First    Hopkinton 

Church 2331 

Interior  of  First  Hopkinton  Church 233/; 

David  E.  Titsworth 237 

George  H.  Babcock 23S 

Mrs.  Emma  Tefift  Platts 249 

Mrs.  Harriet  E.  (Saunders)  Clarke 252 

Miss  Agnes  Babcock 261 

Rev.  Mordecai  B.  Kelly,  Jr 264 

Rev.  Ira  Lee  Cottrell 271 

Rev.  George  B.  Shaw 276 

Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford 325 

Hon.  William  L.  Clarke 326 

Rev.  William  B.  Maxson,  M.  D.,  D.  D 332 

Group  of  Missionary  Workers : 

Rev.   Azor  Estee, 

Rev.  Samuel  R.  Wheeler, 

Rev.  David  Clawson, 

Rev.   John   Greene    336 

Rev.  Halsey  H.  Baker 342 

Rev.  Solomon  Carpenter   346 

Mrs.  Lucy  (Clarke)  Carpenter 348 

Mrs.  Olive  Forbes  Wardner 350 

Rev.  David  H.  Davis 362 

Mrs.  Sara  Gardiner  Davis 364 

Mission  Dwelling  at  Shanghai,  China 366 

A  Group  of  Missionaries  to  China: 

Mrs.   Lizzie  Nelson   Fryer, 

Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick, 

Mrs.  Hannah  (Larkin)  Crofoot, 

Rev.  Jay  W.  Crofoot 368 


ILLUSTRATIONS.  XIX 

Rev.  John  L.  Huffman 370 

A  Group  of  Foreign  Workers: 

Miss  Ella  F.  Swinney,  M.  D., 

Miss  Rosa  W.  Palmborg,  M.  D., 

Jacob  Bakker, 

Rev.  Frederik  J.  Bakker   376 

Christian  Theophilus  Lucky 386 

A  Group  of  Representative  Evangelists : 

Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager, 

Rev.  Charles  M.  Lewis, 

Rev.  V'arnum  Hull, 

Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick 388 

George  Greenman   390 

Rev.  Gideon  Henry  F.  Randolph  392 

Mrs.  Lucy  (Greene)  F.  Randolph 396 

Mission  at  Lieu-00,  China 410 

Peter  H.   Velthuysen    418; 

Arthur  L.  Titsworth    421 

Charles  Potter 422 

Rev.  George  B.  Utter 426 

Rev.  James  Bailey 43*^ 

Ira  J.  Ordway  434 

Group  of  Sabbath  Reformers  and  Missionary  Workers: 

Rev.  Lester  C.  Rogers, 

Correll  D.  Potter,  M.  D., 

Rev.  Joseph  W.  Morton, 

Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis 43^ 

Haarlem  Church   43'^ 

Rev.  Gerhard  Velthuysen,  Sr 44^) 

J.    Frank    Hubbard    441 

Professor  Edward  M.  Tomlinson 463 

A  Group  of  Representative  Educators : 

Charles  R.  Head,  M.  D., 

Rev.  Amos  R.  Cornwall, 

Professor  Henry  C.  Coon, 

Rev.  Sanford  L.  Maxson 4^8 

Professor  Albert  R.  Crandall   47^ 

Rev.  James  L.  Gamble 487 


XX  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

Rev.  James  R.  Irish 488 

Rev.  William  C.  Kenyon  490 

Alfred  Academy 492 

Alfred  University :  General  View  of  Campus 494 

Kenyon  Memorial  Hall,  with  Babcock  Hall  and  School 

of  Ceramics 496 

Professor  William  A.  Rogers 498 

Allen  Steinheim  Museum 502 

Rev.  Ethan  P.  Larkin 504 

Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis    506 

Residence  of  Luke  Greene   508 

Professor  Alpheus  B.  Kenyon 510 

A  Group  of  Alfred  Teachers: 

Mrs.  Caroline   (Maxson)    Stillman, 

Mrs.  Mehssa  B.  (Ward)  Kenyon, 

Mrs.  Ida  F.  (Sallan)  Kenyon, 

Mrs.  Abigail  A.  (Maxson)  Allen 516 

Rev.  Edwin  Shaw 529 

Milton  Academy,  about  1844 530 

Rev.  William  Clarke  Whitford   532 

Milton   College    534 

Rev.  William  C.  Daland   536 

A  Group  of  Milton  Teachers : 

Mrs.  Ruth  (Hemphill)  Whitford, 

Mrs.  Chloe   (Curtis)   Whitford, 

Professor  Albert  Whitford, 

Professor  Walter  D.  Thomas   540 

Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner   545 

Salem  College    546 

Rev.  William  Calvin  Whitford  549 

Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams 550 

Rev.  Darwin  E.  Maxson  552 

Alfred  Theological  Seminary   554 

Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore 559 

Mrs.  Marie  S.  Williams 567 

Rev.  Alexander  Campbell 568 

De  Ruyter  Institute   570 

William  C.  Hubbard  577 


CORRECTIONS 

VOLUME  I. 

Of  the  folloimig  corrections,  those  he  ginning  with  page 
^0,  and  ending  zmth  page  ii^,  except  the  one  on  page  78,  have 
been  submitted  by  Charles  Henry  Greene,  Esq.,  zvho  in  col- 
laboration with  Rev.  James  Lee  Gamble,  Ph.  D.,  D.  D.,  ivrote 
the  treatise  concerned. 

Page  30,  second  paragraph.  "The  Britons  of  the  southern 
part  of  the  island  were  not  different  from  the", 
(i.  e.,  the  Scotch  people).  The  Scotch  people  here 
referred  to  were  the  people  now  called  Irish.  This 
does  not  weaken  the  force  of  the  statement  how- 
ever, as  will  be  observed  by  the  quotation  from 
Moffat  on  page  2y  of  this  book. 

Page  38,  fourth  paragraph.  In  the  quotation  from  Dr.  Sam- 
uel Kohn,  after  "Christian  Jews,  who  arose  in 
England  and",  insert  "in  1661." 

Page  41,  second  line  from  the  bottom.  Since  writing  the 
statement  that  the  membership  of  the  Mill  Yard 
Church  was  limited  to  "but  thirty-eight  women  in 
1737",  the  writer  has  consulted  the  records  of 
the  Mill  Yard  Church,  and  a  copy  of  the  inscrip- 
tions on  the  Mill  Yard  tombstones  prepared  by 
Rev.  William  H.  Black,  about  1845.  A  comparison 
of  these  records  shows  that  there  were  at  least  six 
male  members  in  1737.  The  statement  of  mem- 
bership on  page  41,  is  made  on  the  authority  of 
Rev.  William  C.  Daland,  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder, 
August  I,  1895. 

Page  42,  in  section  6,  entitled,  Property  Interests.  The  state- 
ments which  appear  here  are  made  on  the  author- 
ity of  Rev.  William  M.  Jones,  in  the  Jubilee  Pa- 
pers.    The  Church  records  say  that  Joseph  Davis 


XXU  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

did  not  present  the  Church  with  the  Mill  Yard 
property  as  a  gift,  but  "loaned  the  money"  to 
]\Iill  Yard  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  it.  When 
the  debt  was  paid,  does  not  appear. 

Page  44,  last  line.  The  statement  which  appears  here  con- 
cerning "Edmund  Townsend",  is  made  on  the 
authority  of  the  Manual  of  the  Srventh  Day  Bap- 
tists, by  Rev.  George  B.  Utter  (1858).  The 
Church  records  say  that  in  1722,  Edmund  Town- 
send  was  ordained  by  the  Natton  Church  and  sent 
out  as  an  evangelist  "to  preach  to  other  churches 
in  want." 

Page  47,  about  half  way  down  the  page.  The  statement 
which  appears  here  concerning  the  seating  capa- 
city of  the  Natton  Chapel,  is  made  on  the  authority 
of  Rev.  George  B.  Utter  in  the  Manual  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptists,  and  of  Rev.  William  C. 
Daland,  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder  of  August  i, 
1895.  In  the  summer  of  1907,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Thomas  W.  Richardson,  pastor  of  the  Mill  Yard 
Church,  preached  here  to  an  audience  of  fifteen, 
and  the  chapel,  it  appears,  has  a  seating  capacity 
of  about-  thirty-five.  The  present  roof  is  not  a 
thatched  one. 

Page  59,  line  seventeen  from  the  bottom  of  the  page.  For 
"Mill  Yard",  read  "Pinner's  Hall." 

Page  66,  concerning  Thomas  Bampfield.  For  the  statement 
that  "He  was  born  in  1659  (possibly  1654)  and 
died  in  1693",  su])stitute  the  following:  Thomas 
Bampfield  (Bampfylde)  was  the  eighth  child  and 
youngest  son  of  Sir  John  Bampfield,  Bart.,  and 
Eliazbeth  Drake,  his  wife.  They  had  fifteen  child- 
ren. Thomas  was  born  about  1618  and  died  Octo- 
ber 8,  1693.  He  is  buried  in  St.  Stephen's  Church, 
Exeter.  (See  Bampfylde,  House  of  Exeter,  by 
Robert  Dymond,  F.  S.  A. — A  Period  of  London, 
England — in  the  Archaeological  Journal,  for  June, 
1874,  pp.  95-103,  volume  XXXI.     For  the  date  of 


CORRECTIONS.  XXIU 

Thomas  Bampfield's  birth,  compare  with  dates  of 
birth  of  other  children).  Thomas  Bampfield  says 
he  began  to  observe  the  Sabbath  about  1667.  (See 
Bampfield's  reply  to  Wallace,  1693,  p.  18). 

Page  71,  concerning  Thamas  Broad.  Add  the  following: 
Thomas  Broad  lived  and  died  a  rector  of  the 
Church  of  England.  (See  Anthony  Wood's 
Athenian  Oxciicnsis,  Vol.  XX,  pp.  (c),  593-594; 
BHss's  edition,  1813). 

Page  yy,  concerning Hebden.  In  Allibone's  Diction- 
ary of  Authors,  he  is  called  "Returne  Hebdon.*' 
He  was  one  of  four  exangelists  ordained  by  John 
Trask,  while  the  latter  was  pastor  of  Mill  Yard 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church. 

Page  78,  concerning  "Bull  Stake  Alley,"  This  appears 
to  be  written  "Bull  Steak  Alley,"  also.  Both 
forms  are  used  in  this  book. 

Page  83,  concerning  Elder  Patrick  McFarlane.  The  refer- 
ence to  Mill  Yard  Church  in  this  article,  as  origin- 
ally written  are  mostly  from  secondary  sources. 
A  more  recent  personal  examination  of  the  records 
themselves,  by  the  writer,  fails  to  reveal  any  Pat- 
rick McFarlane.  The  Patrick  McFarlane  men- 
tioned in  the  Minutes  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
General  Conference  of  some  forty  years  ago,  lived 
in  Springfield,  Ohio,  U.  S.  A.,  being  a  member 
of  the  Jackson  Centre  Church. 

Page  92,  concerning  Robert  Smith.  For  "Robert  Smith", 
read  "Richard  Smith."  It  is  not  known  that 
Robert  Smith  was  an  observer  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Sabbath.  Richard  Smith,  however,  was  a  prom- 
inent member  of  Mill  Yard  Church.  A  "Brother 
Smith"  died  in  17 14,  supposed  to  be  this  Richard 
Smith.     Tie  was  a  member  here  as  early  as  1654. 

Page  96,  concerning  Edward  Stennett.  For  the  statement 
"Rev.  Edward  Stennett  died  at  Wallingford  in 
1690",  substitute  the  following:  It  is  known  that 
a  summons  for  the  arrest  of  Rev.  Edward  Stennett 


XXIV  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

was  issued  by  the  Ecclesiastical  Court  in  1691, 
and  Rev.  William  H.  Black,  after  a  careful  exam- 
ination of  the  evidence  available,  expressed  the  be- 
lief that  Rev.  Edward  Stennett  was  living  as  late 
as  May  6,  1705. 

Page  107,  concerning  Edmund  Townsend.  Qualify  the  state- 
ment that  "On  December  3,  1727,  he  was  ordained 
as  the  successor  of  Joseph  Stennett,  ist."  by  the 
following:  "The  records  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church 
show  that  Edmund  Townsend  was  ordained  as  an 
evangelist,  by  the  Natton  Church,  in  1722,  some 
time  before  June  3rd.  In  their  extreme  congre- 
gational independence,  it  not  infrequently  hap- 
pened that  the  English  Seventh  Day  Baptists  ig- 
nored a  former  ordination.  A  like  case  was  that  of 
Robert  Cornthwaite,  who  was  ordained  pastor  of 
Mill  Yard  Church,  March  8,  1726-7,  although  he 
was  already  an  ordained  Baptist  minister  when  he 
embraced  the  Sabbath.  This  custom  prevailed 
among  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  in  America 
in  their  earlier  history.  A  sort  of  official  succes- 
sion seems  to  have  been  followed,  beginning  with 
Deacon,  then  Evangelist,  next  Elder,  and  finally 
Pastor." 

Page  III,     concerning  Elder  Wheaton.     The  edition 

of  the  Baptist  Cyclopedia  cited  here,  is  that  edited 
by  William  Cathcart,  in  188 1.  The  letter  referred 
to,  was  written  to  Elder  Wheaton  by  Thomas  Mol- 
lis the  year  before  his  death. 

Page  112,  concerning  William  Whiston.  The  following  is 
gleaned  from  the  Nczv  International  Encyclopae- 
dia (New  York,  1904)  :  In  1701,  William  Whiston 
was  appointed  deputy  to  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  and 
in  1703  he  was  appointed  to  succeed  him  in  the 
Lucasian  professorship  at  Cambridge.  In  171 5 
he.  instituted  a  society  in  London  for  promoting 
primitive  Christianity,  and  the  meetings  were  held 
at  his  home.    This  society,  it  is  but  fair  to  assume, 


CORRECTIONS.  XXV 

under  all  the  circumstances,  was  a  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Church.  Whether  it  was  continued  after 
his  death  does  not  appear. 
Page  113,  at  bottom  of  page.  Add  the  following:  "The 
ancient  Mill  Yard  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church, 
at  the  date  of  this  writing — June,  1909 — meets  in 
Mornington  Hall,  Canonbury  Lane,  Islington, 
London,  North,  where  the  pastor,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Thomas  W.  Richardson,  conducts  the  reg- 
ular weekly  service  on  every  Sabbath  afternoon. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Richardson  is  also,  by  recent 
appointment,  pastor  of  the  ancient  Natton  Church. 

Page  315,  in  third  paragraph  from  bottom  of  page.  For 
"Silas  Davis",  read  "Silas  C.  Davis." 

Page  315,     second  line.    For  "Greenbriar",  read  "Greenbrier." 

Page  428,  eleventh  line  from  bottom  of  page.  For  "Gordon 
Evans",  read  "Gurdon  Evans." 

Page  562,  line  nine  from  the  bottom  of  the  page.  "Grim" 
should  be  "Greene." 

Page  567,  DeRuyter  Institute.  Mrs.  Marie  (Stillman)  Wil- 
liams, the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams, 
D.  D.,  is  the  author  of  this  sketch  of  DeRuyter 
Institute. 


"WHAT  HATH  GOD 
WROUGHT!" 


REV.   D.    BURDETTE   COON. 
See     Biographical    Sketches,    p.   1361. 


'*WHAT  HATH  GOD  WROUGHT!" 

(Numbers  23;  23,  last  claus.=.) 


Rev.   D.    Biirdett    Coon,   B.   D. 
Sermon  delivered  on  Sabbath-day,  at  Conference,  1902. 


The  children  of  Israel  were  encamped  in  the  plains  of 
Moab.  Balak,  king  of  Moab,  was  much  worried  because  of 
their  presence.  Calling  his  princes  together,  it  was  determined 
that  certain  positive  steps  must  soon  be  taken  toward  driv- 
ing the  Israelites  away.  To  make  their  way  sure  for  this  end 
they  sought  the  services  of  a  certain  Balaam,  a  heathen 
prophet,  or  sorcerer.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  wide 
influence.  Balak,  knowing  the  power  of  Balaam's  word, 
thought  that  the  quickest  and  best  way  to  be  rid  of  his  enemy 
was  to  get  Balaam  to  pronounce  a  curse  against  Israel.  To 
make  sure,  as  he  thought,  of  Balaam's  help,  he  frankly  told  him 
that  he  would  promote  him  to  honor  in  his  kingdom  if  the 
desired  curse  were  pronounced.  In  these  hopes  Balak  was 
sadly  disappointed.  Balaam  had  met  God  on  the  way,  and, 
for  the  time,  seemed  to  be  wholly  under  his  influence  and 
power.  He  had  heard  "the  words  of  God,"  and  had  seen  the 
"vision  of  the  Almighty."  As  the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon 
him  he  could  do  no  other  than  to  utter  the  words  of  Jehovah. 

In  the  miflst  of  the  wonderful  parables  which  he  spoke 


4  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

upon  this  great  occasion  we  find  the  words  of  our  text,  "What 
hath  God  wrought!"  This  text  is  not  a  query;  but  is  rather 
calHng  attention  to  some  tremendous  facts.  Whether  Israel 
should  die  or  live  was  wholly  dependent  upon  whether  God 
was  working  with  them.  This  text  was  a  forcible  reminder 
to  Balak  and  all  his  subjects  that  God  was  with  the  Israelites, 
and  therefore  all  the  machinations  of  man  against  them  would 
be  vain. 

We  are  here  to-day  to  celebrate  what  God  hath  wrought 
among  us  as  a  people.  We  are  here  to  learn  the  lessons  that 
God  would  teach  us  from  our  past.  Some  one  has  wisely  said. 
"He  who  regards  not  the  past,  cares  little  for  the  present  and 
less  for  the  future."  This  Centennial  Anniversary  should 
give  us  a  higher  regard  for  our  past  and  greater  hope  for  the 
future,  because  we  may  here  the  better  see  the  wondrous  ways 
in  which  God  has  led  us. 

Anniversaries  ever  have  been  and  ever  will  be  our  teach- 
ers. The  little  girl  calling  her  friends  together  to  celebrate 
with  her  her  fifth  anniversary  is  on  the  way  to  knowledge. 
She  has  begun  to  mark  the  meaning  of  the  years  as  they  come 
and  go.  The  children  of  Israel  held  their  three  great  annual 
feasts,  and  in  them  learned  what  God  had  wrought.  True 
words  were  those  uttered  by  McKinley  last  September,  in  that 
great,  last  memorable  speech,  given  to  the  people  at  the  Expo- 
sition in  Bufifalo,  when  he  said,  "Expositions  are  the  time- 
keepers of  progress."  And  if  expositions  mark  the  progress 
that  man  hath  made  in  material  and  intellectual  things,  our 
religious  anniversaries  as  truly  mark  what  God  hath  wrought 
for  us  in  moral  and  spiritual  attainments.  For  we  are  not 
here  to-day  to  celebrate  the  progress  we  have  made  in  material 
things.  As  happy  as  the  comparison  may  be  to  us  of  the  poor 
and  simple  homes  of  a  hundred  years  ago  with  the  large  and 
beautiful  ones  of  to-day ;  as  cheering  as  may  be  the  thought 
that  we  have  discarded  the  ox  cart  and  now  take  our  journeys 
in  the  palace  or  Pullman  car;  and  as  awe-inspiring  as  may  be 
the  material  changes  we  have  witnessed  on  land  and  sea 
within  the  century,  it  is  not  of  these  we  must  think  and  speak 
to-day.     It  is  of  greater  wonders  than  these. 

Neither  do  we  celebrate  to-day  our  moral  and  spiritual 


WHAT     MATH    COD    WROUGHT!  5 

perfections,  for  we  have  them  not.  It  would  have  been  vain 
for  priest  or  prophet  to  have  claimed  that  the  Israehtes  had 
made  no  mistakes,  and  had  committed  no  sins.  For  all  that 
they  might  sa\'  could  not  blot  out  the  record  that  the  children 
of  Israel  had  often  wandered  far  from  God  and  duty.  The 
facts  remained  that  they  had  complained  of  Moses  and  of 
God.  They  had  longed  for  the  leeks  and  garlics  and  flesh- 
pots  of  Egypt.  They  had  been  guilty  of  making  and  wor- 
shiping the  golden  calf.  They  deserved  not  the  protection 
they  enjoyed.  God  could  as  easily  and  as  justly  have  blotted 
them  from  the  face  of  the  earth  as  you,  by  the  turn  of  the 
hand,  brush  away  a  troublesome  fly.  The  wonder  was  not  at 
their  perfections,  but  that  God  could  see  any  possibility  of 
good  iu  them,  and  could  forgive  them,  and  had  preserved 
them  in  spite  of  their  weaknesses  and  sins.  And  so  the  won- 
der to  me  is  not  that  our  numbers  are  not  larger,  but  that  we 
are  as  many  as  we  are ;  yea,  that  we  exist  at  all.  Seeing  the 
many  things  that  have  crowded  upon  us  from  without,  and  the 
inconsistencies  from  within,  the  many  numbered  with  us 
whose  hearts  are  not  with  the  Lord,  the  marvel  is  that  God 
hath  preserved  us  as  a  people.  It  is  a  miracle  of  divine  grace 
that  we  are  here  to-day. 

And  if  we  look  for  what  God  hath  wrought  for  us  we 
shall  find  that  grace  manifested  in  places  and  ways  usually 
unsought  and  unseen  by  man.  It  will  not  be  seen  so  much 
in  our  more  splendid  homes,  in  our  thriving  industries,  in 
our  manifold  material  comforts,  or  even  in  our  more  compact 
organization  of  church  and  denomination,  as  in  the  cross- 
bearing  and  self-sacrificing  spirit  of  our  forefathers. 

Not  a  child  is  born,  not  a  mind  grows,  not  a  soul  develops, 
not  a  church  prospers,  not  a  denomination  endures,  not  a 
reform  advances  without  pain,  sorrow  and  suffering.  Men's 
reaching  toward  wisdom  and  perfection  hath  ever  been 
attended  with  expenditure  of  blood,  treasure  and  life.  Going 
from  darkness  to  light,  from  poverty  to  wealth,  from  weak- 
ness to  strength,  from  sin  to  righteousness,  from  bondage  to 
liberty,  from  earth  to  heaven,  means  toil,  struggle,  sacrifice. 
From  the  excellent  historical  ])apers  to  which  we  have  listened 
in  these  sessions  we  have  heard  much  concerning  the  struggles 


O  SEVENTH-DAY    UAi'TISTS: 

of  our  forefathers.  And  it  is  in  these  struggles  we  shall  find 
the  hand-dealing  of  our  God  with  us.  A  few  days  ago  I  was 
in  the  home  of  an  old  lady  in  Little  Genesee,  wdio  was  born 
among  these  Rhode  Island  Rocks,  ninety-eight  years  ago. 
She  is  still  alert  and  active,  working  in  her  garden  every  day. 
Her  mind  is  keen,  and  it  is  a  real  pleasure  to  visit  with  her. 
In  talking  of  the  Conference  soon  to  convene  here,  she  had 
many  things  to  say  touching  our  history  of  nearly  one  hun- 
dred years  ago.  Among  the  most  striking  things  I  noted  the 
spirit  of  sacrifice  that  the  Lord  put  into  our  people  in  that 
far-off  day.  She  told  of  how,  because  of  the  love  of  Christ, 
whole  families,  men  and  women,  boys  and  girls,  walked  six, 
eight,  or  ten  miles,  and  how  others  went  long  distances  with 
ox  teams  to  attend  "meeting"  upon  the  Sabbath.  We  have  heard 
here  of  how  they  used  to  drive  a  hundred  miles  with  ox  teams  to 
attend  the  "Great  Sabbatarian  Yearly  Meeting."  And  when  these 
sturdy  men  and  women  pushed  through  the  wilderness  west- 
ward, they  went,  not  so  much  to  make  themselves  rich  in  this 
world's  goods,  as  to  make  Christian  homes,  to  establish  Chris- 
tian churches,  and  to  build  up  Christian  schools.  They  went 
prepared  to  do  these  things  at  whatever  cost.  Witnessing 
their  perseverance  in  and  endurance  for  the  truth  of  God  in 
the  midst  of  the  most  adverse  circumstances,  we  can  but  say, 
Behold,  "What  hath  God  wrought!"  None  but  an  infinite 
God  could  l^ave  kept  them.  None  but  an  infinite  God  can 
keep  us  to-day  under  the  changed  circumstances  in  which  we 
live.  With  faith  divine,  we  founded  the  home,  the  school  and 
the  church,  that  the  whole  truth  of  God  might  be  taught. 

God  hath  preserved  our  schools,  not  for  the  sake  of  the 
schools,  not  that  the  teachers  in  them  might  have  a  place  for 
service,  not  that  the  young  men  and  women  going  from  them 
might  fill  important  places  in  governmental,  professional,  or 
industrial  affairs ;  but  that  the  boys  and  girls  we  send  there, 
while  getting  intellectual  culture,  may  obtain  heart  culture 
that  shall  fit  them  for  sticking  to  the  truth  of  God  forever. 
We  praise  God  because  in  these  latter  days  he  hath  put  it  into 
the  Hearts  of  so  many  of  our  fathers  and  mothers  to  take 
their  boys  and  girls  from  the  large  opportunities  offered  in 
the  High  Schools  and  place  them  luider  larger  opportunities 


WHAT    HATH    C.OD    \VR(JUGHT  !  7 

offered  in  our  denominational  colleges.  Not  larger  because 
of  material  advantage,  but  far  larger  because  of  moral  and 
religious  advantages.  We  rejoice  because  there  are  so  many 
who  prefer  to  sacrifice  the  material  advantage  offered  their 
children  now  than  to  sacrifice  the  children  themselves  to  the 
world  a  few  years  later, 

God  hath  wondrously  wrought  in  that  he  has  put  it  into 
the  hearts  of  so  many  to  go  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  as  his  missionaries  to  proclaim  his  entire  truth  when 
there  could  be  no  natural  expectation  that  large  numbers 
would  soon  be  converted  through  their  preaching.  The  self- 
sacrificing  labors  of  these  men  and  women  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  home  and  foreign  lands  declare  to  us  what  God  is  doing 
in  human  hearts  to-day.  God  hath  been  very  kind  and  merciful 
unto  us  in  preserving  our  churches  when  things  without  and 
worse  things  within  threatened  their  destruction.  We  marvel 
at  the  goodness  of  God  when,  in  the  midst  of  those  things, 
we  discover  so  many  homes  that  are  homes  of  prayer,  homes 
where  God's  name  is  revered,  his  Word  is  read,  and  his  com- 
mandments observed.  We  rejoice  because  there  are  so  many 
going  into  the  world  to-day  to  stand,  everywhere  they  go, 
for  God  and  his  holy  Word.  The  voices  and  lives  of  our 
young  men  and  young  women  foremost  for  the  truth  and  love 
of  God  in  home  and  church,  and  school,  and  state,  declare 
to  us  in  no  mistakable  terms  what  God  hath  wrought. 

God  hath  chosen  us  to  stand  among  other  denominations 
much  as  the  children  of  Israel  stood  among  other  nations, 
and  here  zve  shall  stand.  Great  honor  and  dignity  hath  God 
placed  upon  us  in  calling  us  to  stand  for  such  spiritual  ends. 
Our  strength  for  the  conflict  that  must  come  lies  not  in  our 
great  learning,  not  in  our  wealth,  not  in  our  numbers.  We 
look  to  things  in  vain  for  victory.  "Not  by  might,  nor  by 
power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  Jehovah  of  Hosts."  We  shall 
win  by  our  willingness  to  be  filled  with  the  love  of  God,  We 
shall  win  by  following  the  track  that  our  forefathers  trod, 
the  track  of  toil  and  sacrifice  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  his 
truth.  By  willingness  to  obey  his  Word,  even  at  the  cost  of 
business  or  life  itself. 

We  can  not  do  otherwise  than  look  into  the  future  for 


8  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

a  moment.  Coming  on  the  train  the  other  day  from  New  Lon- 
don to  Westerly,  I  overheard  two  men,  sitting  a  Httle  ahead, 
talking  about  Seventh-day  Baptists.  They  were,  apparently, 
business  men,  and  thought  they  were  looking  at  the  question 
from  a  business  standpoint.  I  judged  that  they  were  of  the 
Moabites.  One  said  to  the  other,  "These  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists have  got  to  go  pretty  soon.  They  can  not  last  much 
longer.  Everything  indicates  that  they  are  near  the  end  of 
their  history."  Poor,  deluded  man !  I  thought,  Have  you 
read  the  words  of  the  prophet  in  reference  to  the  query  and 
hope  of  the  Moabites  of  old?  They  hoped  for  the  early 
destruction  of  the  Israelites.  The  prophet  answered  them 
according  to  the  Word  of  God,  that  the  history  of  the  children 
of  Israel  had  but  just  begun.  They  would  live  to  enter  the 
promised  land,  and  would  drive  every  enemy  from  the  field. 
Listen  to  his  words.  Immediately  after  he  asked  Balak  and 
his  subjects  to  behold  "what  God  hath  wrought"  in  Israel's 
past,  he  calls  upon  them  to  see  what  God  will  do  for  them  in 
the  future.  "Behold  the  people  riseth  up  as  a  lioness,  and  as 
a  lion  doth  he  lift  himself  up;  he  shall  not  lie  down  till  he 
eat  of  the  prey,  and  drink  of  the  blood  of  the  slain." 

No  pity  need  be  expressed  for  us  and  the  position  we 
occupy.  Pity  for  him  who  is  in  the  majority  in  the  wrong. 
Under  the  blessing  of  God  the  Seventh-day  Baptists  are  here, 
and  the  Seventh-day  Baptists  are  here  to  stay.  I  have  no  dis- 
couraging note  to  sound  to-day.  "If  God  be  for  us  who  can 
be  against  us?"  Our  history  is  but  just  begun.  The  prom- 
ised land  lies  before  us.  Contrary  to  the  predictions  of 
the  world,  we  shall  possess  it.  In  the  name  of  our  God, 
through  the  grace  of  his  Son,  and  by  "the  sword  of  the  Spirit 
which  is  the  Word  of  God,"  we  shall  drive  every  enemy 
from  the  field.  God's  truth  shall  triumph  and  his  people  be 
led  to  victorv. 


THE  SABBATH   FROM  THE 

TIME  OF  CHRIST  TO   ITS 

APPEARANCE  IN 

ENGLAND. 


REV.    ABRAM    HERBERT   LEWIS     D.    D.,    LL.    D. 
See     Biografh'cal    Sketches,    p.   1361. 


THE  SABBATH    FROM   THE  TIME  OF 

CHRIST  TO  ITS  APPEARANCE 

IN    ENGLAND. 


Rev.  A.   H.  Lewis,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


One  can  not  take  up  the  history  of  an  institution  Hke 
the  Sabbath  at  any  given  point  without  considering  its  history 
previous  to  that  point  and  its  character  and  standing  at  the 
point  where  the  consideration  begins.  Before  the  time  of 
Christ  the  Sabbath  had  held  a  prominent  place  in  the  life 
of  God's  ancient  people.  Much  of  the  religious  and  social  life 
of  the  Hebrews  gathered  around  the  Sabbath  because  it  was 
God's  representative  among  the  days,  and  their  oft-recurring 
day  of  worship.  During  the  centuries  more  immediately  pre- 
ceding Christ,  excessive  ceremonialism  and  non-spiritual  form- 
alism had  crept  into  all  departments  of  the  Jewish  church. 
Because  of  its  prominence,  the  Sabbath  was  especially  aflFected 
by  this  formalism  and  by  unscriptural  restrictions  and  eva- 
sions. 

These  restrictions  and  evasions  were  burdensome,  many 
of  them  foolish,  and  their  adoption  cultivated  the  spirit  of 
dishonesty  and  disobedience.  There  were  thirty-nine  prin- 
cipal   occupations    which    were    prohibited    on     the     Sabbath. 


12  SEVENTH-DAY    JiAPTISTS  : 

These  occupations  were  varied  by  subordinate  distinctions  as 
to  places  where  they  might  occur;  for  example,  "a  public 
place,"  a  "private  place,"  a  place  which  is  "neither  public 
nor  private,"  and  a  "free  place."  The  last  being  described 
as  "that  which  is  more  than  three  hands  deep  or  high,  but  not 
more  than  four  hands  square  in  width."  Examples  of  these 
restrictions  are  as  follows : 

If  a  beggar  reaches  his  hand  within  a  house  and  gives 
or  takes  something  from  the  hand  of  the  master,  the  beggar 
is  guilty  and  the  master  is  free.  A  man  must  not  sit  before 
the  barber  near  to  evening  prayer  until  after  he  hath  prayed. 
A  tailor  must  not  go  out  with  his  needle  late  on  Sixth-day 
afternoon  nor  the  scribe  with  his  pen,  lest  they  forget  and 
carry  these  implements  on  the  Sabbath.  One  may  not  light 
a  lamp  with  cedar  moss,  nor  with  unbroken  flax,  nor  floss 
silk,  nor  wick  of  willow,  on  the  Sabbath.  A  man  may  extin- 
guish a  lamp  on  the  Sabbath  if  he  fears  the  heathen,  or 
robbers,  or  an  evil  spirit,  or  that  the  sick  may  sleep.  If  he 
extinguishes  the  lamp  that  he  may  save  the  lamp,  the  oil,  or 
the  wick,  he  is  guilty  of  sin.  A  male  camel  may  be  led  forth 
on  the  Sabbath  with  a  headstall,  but  a  female  camel  must  be 
led  by  a  nose  ring.  A  woman  may  not  go  out  on  the  Sabbath 
with  laces  of  wool  or  flax,  nor  with  straps  on  her  head.  A  man 
may  not  go  out  with  hob-nailed  sandals,  nor  with  one  sandal, 
unless  the  unsandalled  foot  is  sore.  A  woman  may  not  go 
out  carrying  a  needle  having  an  eye,  nor  wearing  a  signet 
ring,  nor  a  spiral  head-dress,  nor  a  bottle  of  musk.  A  cripple 
may  not  go  out  wearing  a  wooden  leg.  If  a  man  does  one 
principal  work,  and  twenty  secondary  works  on  the  Sabbath 
they  will  be  regarded  as  one  sin.  The  thirty-nine  principal 
works  are  these : 

"Sowing,  ploughing  ,reaping,  binding  sheaves,  threshing, 
winnowing,  sifting,  grinding,  riddling,  kneading,  baking, 
shearing  wool,  whitening,  carding,  dyeing,  spinning,  warping, 
making  two  spools,  weaving  two  threads,  taking  out  two 
threads,  hoisting,  loosing,  sewing  two  stitches,  tearing  thread 
from  two  sewings,  hunting  the  gazelle,  slaughtering,  skinning, 
salting,  curing  its  skin,  tanning,  or  cutting  it  up.  writing  two 
letters,  erasing  in  order  to  write  two  letters,  building,  demol- 


THE   SABBATH    TO   THE  FIFTEENTH    CENTURY.  13 

ishing,  quenching,  kindling,  hammering,  carrying  from  private 
to  public  property.  Lo,  these  are  the  principal  works — forty 
less  one." 

A  priest  might  replace  a  plaster  on  a  wound  in  the  tem- 
ple on  the  Sabbath,  but  not  elsewhere.  One  might  borrow 
jars  containing  wine,  or  oil  on  the  Sabbath,  but  he  must  not 
say :  "lend  it  to  me."  Through  many  other  restrictions,  sim- 
ilar to  these,  insincerity  was  cultivated,  in  that  a  large  number 
of  actions  were  reckoned  as  "commixtures"  or  "connections," 
entitled  "Erubin"  in  the  Talmud.  These  commixtures  were 
of  every  conceivable  sort,  notably  those  pertaining  to  trav- 
eling on  the  Sabbath,  in  order  to  evade  the  commandment, 
"Abide  ye  every  man  in  his  own  place,  let  no  man  go  out  of 
his  place  on  the  Sabbath-day." 

CHRIST    CHARGED    WITH    SABBATH-BREAKING. 

One  of  the  prominent  features  in  Christ's  work  was  the 
condemnation  of  these  false  restrictions  concerning  the  Sab- 
bath. By  precept  and  example  he  denounced  this  formalism, 
ignored  these  restrictions,  and  taught  those  larger  views  and 
better  practices  concerning  the  Sabbath  which  fitted  it  for 
a  place  in  his  Kingdom.  His  opposition  to  the  false  notions 
of  the  Jews  increased  their  enmity  toward  him  and  toward 
the  development  of  Christianity.  They  could  not  rise  high 
enough  to  appreciate  the  true  view  of  the  Sabbath  which  he 
presented,  while  their  religious  zeal  and  national  pride  spurred 
them  into  more  bitter  opposition  to  Christ  becavise  of  his  atti- 
tude toward  these  false  notions  concerning  the  Sabbath.  Thus 
the  correct  conception  of  the  Sabbath  became  a  strong  and  per- 
manent barrier  between  the  Jewish  leaders  and  Christ,  and  the 
Christian  movement  within  the  Jewish  church. 

ATTITUDE   OF   THE   GENTILES. 

It  is  clear  from  the  history  of  Christianity  after  the  New 
Testament  period  that  there  was  a  strong  tendency  on  the  part 
of  Gentile  converts  to  object  to  the  Sabbath  as  a  Jewish  insti- 
tution. With  the  death  of  the  apostles  and  the  passage  of 
Christian  history  westward  from  Palestine,  the  men  of  culture 
who  became  associated  with  Christianity  wore  nearly  all  from 
the  ranks  of  Grecian  and  Roman   Pagan  j)liilosophers.     For 


14  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

generations  there  had  been  strong  disHke  of  the  Hebrews 
because  of  their  unwilHngness  to  grant  any  recognition  to  the 
various  heathen  deities.  The  attitude  of  the  Jews  toward 
Christ  because  of  his  teachings  concerning  the  Sabbath,  gave 
new  impetus  to  this  anti-Jewish  prejudice,  and  as  Pagan  lead- 
ers became  prominent  in  the  development  of  the  Christian 
church,  their  opposition  to  all  Sabbath-keeping  became  more 
pronounced. 

Beginning  with  Justin  Martyr,  about  the  middle  of  the  sec- 
ond century,  these  leaders  gave  utterance  to  the  largest  type 
of  no-Sabbathism,  claiming  that  the  Sabbath  was  only  a  Jew- 
ish institution,  that  Jehovah  to  whom  it  was  sacred  was  only 
an  inferior  deity,  and  that  the  Old  Testament  had  little  or  no 
binding  force  upon  any  but  Hebrews.  This  doctrine  with  its 
attendant  errors,  was  one  of  the  leading  influences  which 
changed  Christian  history,  soon  making  it  more  Pagan  than 
Christian,  according  to  the  standard  set  by  Christ  and  his 
immediate  followers.  Hence  a  sharp  struggle  ensued  in  which 
the  Sabbath  maintained  its  place  w'ith  the  common  people 
long  after  it  was  theoretically  set  aside  through  the  influence 
of  the  Pagan-Christian  leaders.  That  struggle  continued  for 
four  or  five  centuries. 

INTRODUCTION    OF    SUNDAY. 

Through  the  combined  influence  of  ancient  Sun  worship 
and  the  tradition  that  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  in  which  fact  men  sought  to  find  an  analogy 
between  the  risen  Christ  and  the  rising  sun,  the  Sun's  day 
together  with  many  other  Pagan  festivals  found  a  place  in 
the  Christian  church  under  the  growing  influence  of  Roman 
Paganism  and  the  political  influences  which  were  brought  to 
bear  upon  Christianity  in  the  Roman  Empire.  When  Chris- 
tianity ascended  the  throne  of  the  Caesars,  early  in  the  fourth 
.  century,  it  W' as  destructively  remodeled  according  to  the 
genius,  of  the  Pagan  state-church.  In  that  remodeling,  the 
Sunday  and  other  Pagan  festivals  were  supported  by  the  Civil 
power,  while  public  opinion  and  civil  legislation  combined  to 
degrade  and  drive  out  the  Sabbath.  Thus  the  struggle  went  for- 
ward for  four  or  five  hundred  years  until  the  full  development 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  and  the  completed  union  of 


THE   SABBATH    TO    THE    FIFTEENTH    CENTURY.  1 5 

church  and  state  in  the  decHning  Roman  Empire  practically 
annulled  the  Sabbath  in  the  Roman  branch  of  the  Christian 
church. 

DURING  THE  DARK  AGES. 

The  term  "Dark  Ages"  is  used  here  in  a  general  sense 
to  cover  the  time  from  the  fifth  to  the  fifteenth  century.  Dur- 
ing that  time  the  Papacy  never  succeeded  in  driving  the  Sab- 
bath wholly  from  its  dominions.  There  is  much  evidence 
showing  that  as  the  Roman  church  gradually  expelled  the  Sab- 
bath, those  who  were  loyal  to  the  law  of  God  and  the  prac- 
tices of  the  apostolic  church,  stood  firm,  regardless  of  excom- 
munication and  persecution.  Dissenters  who  kept  the  Sab- 
bath, existed  under  different  names  from  the  time  of  the  Pope 
to  the  Reformation.  They  were  either  the  descendants  of  those 
who  fled  from  the  heathen  persecutions  previous  to  the  time 
of  Constantine,  or  else  those  who,  when  he  began  to  rule  the 
church  and  force  false  practices  upon  it,  refused  subm'ssion, 
and  sought  seclusion  and  freedom  to  obey  God.  In  their 
earlier  history  they  were  known  as  Nazarenes,  Cerinthians  and 
Hypsistarii,  and  later,  as  Vaudois,  Cathari,  Toulousians,  Albi- 
genses,  Petrobrusians,  Passagii,  and  Waldenses.  We  shall 
speak  of  them  in  general,  under  this  latter  name.  They 
believed  the  Romish  church  to  be  the  Anti-Christ,  spoken  of  in 
the  New  Testament.  Their  doctrines  were  comparatively  pure 
and  Scriptural,  and  their  lives  were  holy,  in  contrast  with  the 
ecclesiastical  corruption  which  surrounded  them.  The  reign- 
ing church  hated  and  followed  them  with  its  persecutions.  In 
consequence  of  this  unscrupulous  opposition,  it  is  difficult  to 
learn  all  the  facts  concerning  them,  since  the  only  available 
accounts  have  come  to  us  through  the  hands  of  their  enemies. 
P.efore  the  age  of  printing,  their  books  were  few,  and  from 
time  to  time  these  were  destroyed  by  their  persecutors,  so 
that  we  have  only  fragments  from  their  own  writers.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  twelfth  century  they  had  grown  in  strength 
and  numbers  to  such  an  extent  as  to  call  forth  earnest  oppo- 
sition and  bloody  persecution  from  the  Papal  power.  Their 
enemies  have  made  many  unreasonable  and  false  charges  con- 
cerning their  doctrines  and  practices,  but  all  agree  that  they 
rejected  the  doctrine  of  "chiu-ch  antli<irity,"  and  appealed  to 


l6  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

the  Bible  as  their  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  They  con- 
demned the  usurpations,  the  innovations,  the  pomp  and  formal- 
ity, the  worldliness  and  immorality  which  attended  the  devel- 
opment and  supremacy  of  the  Romanized  church.  They  made 
the  Bible  their  only  standard  of  faith  and  practice  and  rejected 
all  changes  and  additions  which  the  Roman  Catholics  had 
made.  Benedict  in  his  history  of  the  Baptists  says  of  the 
Waldenses : 

"We  have  already  observed -from  Claudius  Seyssel,  the  popish  arch- 
bishop, that  one  Leo  was  charged  with  originating  the  Waldensian 
heresy  in  the  valleys,  in  the  days  of  Constantine  the  great.  When  those 
severe  measures  emanated  from  the  Emperor  Honorius  against  re- 
baptizers,  the  Baptists  left  the  seat  of  opulence  and  power,  and  sought 
retreats  in  the  country,  and  in  the  valleys  of  Piedmont ;  which  last 
place,  in  particular,  became  their  retreat  from  imperial  oppression." 

Rainer  Sacho,  a  Roman  Catholic  author,  says  of  the 
Waldenses : 

"There  is  no  sect  so  dangerous  as  Leonists,  for  three  reasons : 
first,  it  is  the  most  ancient;  some  say  it  is  as  old  as  Sylvester,  others, 
as  the  apostles  themselves.  Secondly,  it  is  very  generally  disseminated ; 
there  is  no  country  where  it  has  not  gained  some  footing.  Third, 
while  other  sects  are  profane  and  tlasphemous,  this  retains  the  utmost 
show  of  piety;  they  live  justly  before  men,  and  believe  nothing  con- 
cerning God  which  is  not  good." 

Sacho  admits  that  they  flourished  at  least  five  hundred 
years  before  the  time  of  Peter  Waldo.  Their  great  antiquity 
is  also  allowed  by  Gretzer,  a  Jesuit,  who  wrote  against  them. 
Crantz,  in  his  "History  of  the  United  Brethren,"  speaks  of 
this  class  of  Christians  in  the  following  words : 

"These  ancient  Christians  date  their  origin  from  the  beginning  of 
the  fourth  century,  when  one  Leo,  at  the  great  revolution  in  religion 
under  Constantine  the  Great,  opposed  the  innovations  of  Sylvester, 
Bishop  of  Rome.  Nay,  Rieger  goes  further  still,  taking  them  for  the 
remains  of  the  people  of  the  valleys,  who,  when  the  Apostle  Paul, 
as  is  said,  made  a  journey  over  the  Alps  into  Spain,  were  converted  to 
Christ." 

The  extent  of  their  position  and  influence  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  in  the  thirteenth  century,  from  the  accounts  of 
Catholic  historians,  all  of  whom  speak  of  the  Waldenses  in 
terms  of  complaint  and  reproach,  they  had  founded  individ- 
ual churches,  or  were  spread  out  in  colonies  in  Italy,  Spain, 
Germany,  the  Netherlands,  Bohemia,  Poland,  Lithuania, 
(0 


THE    S\T.BATH    TO    THE    FIFTEENTH    CENTURY.  ly 

Albania,  Lombardy,  Milan,  Romagna,  Mcenza,  Florence, 
Velepenetine,  Constantinople,  Philadelphia,  Sclavonia,  Bul- 
garia, Diognitia,  Livonia,  Sarmatia,  Croatia,  Dalmatia,  Briton, 
and  Piedmont. 

OUR   DENOMINATIONAL    ANCESTORS. 

These  widely  scattered  Sabbath  reformers  were  our 
denominational  ancestors,  in  fact,  if  not  by  direct  organic  con- 
nection. Through  them  we  are  in  touch  with  the  last  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Sabbath-keeping  apostolic  church,  and  with 
the  first  genuine  Protestants.  This  fact  is  set  forth  by  many 
of  the  older  writers  of  the  Reformation  Period,  and  by  Cox 
and  Hessey,  the  two  ablest  English  writers  of  the  last  century 
on  the  Sabbath  question.  The  Sabbath  found  little  recog- 
nition on  the  continent  of  Europe  during  the  first  stage  of  the 
Lutheran  movement.  As  Protestant  principles  were  more 
definitely  formulated,  and  the  Second  General  Stage  of  the 
Reformation  was  developed  in  England,  the  Sabbath  question 
underwent  a  radical  change.  English  Seventh-day  Baptists 
were  brought  out  and  organized  and  our  present  denomination- 
al life  began.  It  is  not  the  province  of  this  paper  to  deal  with 
that  phase  of  our  history,  but  the  results  of  the  survey  made 
in  this  paper  support  and  emphasize  the  fact  that  this  cen- 
tennial year  is  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Sabbath -keeping 
Christians  which  links  us  with  the  earliest  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist churches,  those  which  were  founded  by  the  Sabbath-keep- 
ing Christ,  Lord  of  the  Sabbath  and  Head  of  the  church  uni- 
versal. Herein  is  an  honor  too  lightly  prized,  and  a  sacred 
trust  too  little  appreciated.  This  persistent  perduring  of  the 
Sabbath  in  spite  of  opposition  and  obloquy  is  highest  proof  of 
its  value  in  the  eyes  of  God  who  overrules  the  affairs  of  men  in 
history. 

Standing  at  this  point  in  the  history  of  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists, the  example  of  Christ  and  his  teachings  concerning  the 
Sabbath  ought  to  be  given  first  place.  He  is  supreme  authori- 
ty as  to  the  interpretation  of  the  Ten  Commandments.  Being 
a  Jew  and  the  Messiah  of  (lod,  he  was  not  only  the  founder 
(>f  Christianity,  but  the  authoritative  intcrj)retcr  of  Judaism, 
and  of  the  relation  of  the  Ten  Commandments  to  the  kingdom 
of   God   and   the   Christian   church.     The   basis    of    Sabbath- 


lO  SEVENTH-UAY    BAl'TISTS  : 

keeping',  at  the  present  time,  is  fonnd  in  the  inter])rctati()n 
which  Christ  made  and  in  the  example  which  he  set.  Too 
much  importance  can  not  be  given  to  the  fact  that  what  Christ 
said  and  did  concerning  the  Sabbath  was  by  way  of  pruning 
it — as  one  prunes  over-growth  from  a  vine.  He  interpreted 
the  Fourth  Commandment  and  purified  the  Sabbath  from 
lormahsm  and  false  casuistry,  that  it  might  be  fitted  for  its 
place  in  the  New  Dispensation.  The  almost  universal,  popu- 
lar error  concerning  the  Sabbath  under  the  Christian  Dispen- 
sation has  come  because  men  have  assumed  that  Christ  dis- 
carded the  Sabbath  instead  of  cleansing  and  uplifting  it.  thus 
fitting  it  for  a  new  place  and  a  higher  mission.  Upon  that 
broad  basis  the  faith  of  Seventh-day  Baptists  finds  secure 
foundation.  Even  they  have  not  fully  appreciated  the  value 
of  appealing  to  Christ  as  the  first  and  foremost  authority  in 
all  matters  connected  with  Sabbath  observance.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  this  anniversary  of  our  Conference  may  induce 
such  a  restudy  of  Sabbath-keeping  and  of  the  work  now  de- 
manded of  us,  as  will  place  Christ  and  his  interpretation  of 
the  Sabbath  more  prominently  before  us  and  before  the  world. 
His  own  words — "The  Son  of  man  is  Lord  of  the  Sabbath 
day" — have  a  far  deeper  meaning  than  is  usually  apprehend- 
ed. The  Jews  complained  because  Christ  discarded  and  con- 
demned their  formalism  and  disobedient  evasions  in  the  mat- 
ter of  Sabbath-keeping.  Christ  gave  a  larger  interpretation 
and  new  meaning  to  each  of  the  Ten  Commandments,  includ- 
ing the  Sabbath  law.  He  did  not  weaken  nor  discard  the 
commandment.  He  did  reject  and  condemn  those  false  inter- 
pretations which  the  Jews  had  heaped  upon  it.  Let  us  begin 
the  work  of  the  coming  century  from  a  higher  denominational 
standpoint  than  ever  before — the  standpoint  of  the  law  of 
God,  interpreted  by  Christ  and  enforced  by  his  example. 


SEVENTH    DAY     BAPTISTS 
IN  THE  BRITISH  ISLES. 


PREFACE. 

The  author  would  first  of  all  acknowledge  his  obligation 
to  Mr.  Charles  H.  Greene  for  the  valuable  materials,  in  the 
way  of  books,  papers,  letters,  etc.,  which  he  has  gathered  with 
much  diligence  and  labor.  Mr.  Greene  has  for  years  been  an 
enthusiastic  collector  of  matter  bearing  upon  English  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  history,  purchasing  at  considerable  expense  to  him- 
self rare  books,  and  carrying  on  an  extensive  correspondence 
with  Sabbatarian  churches  and  individuals  in  the  British  Isles. 
Hearty  thanks  are  due  him  from  the  denomination  for  this 
service. 

The  writer  has  examined  the  files  of  The  Sabbath  Re- 
corder in  Alfred  University,  read  most  of  the  authorities  cited, 
and  verified  the  quotations  given.  The  interested  reader  is 
invited  to  consult,  for  his  own  assurance,  the  works  referred  to ; 
and  to  report  any  errors  that  he  may  discover. 

The  author's  task  has  been  a  tedious  and  difficult  one,  un- 
satisfactor}^  in  many  instances  because  of  the  meagre  results 
obtained ;  but,  on  the  whole,  one  full  of  fascination  and  inspi- 
ration. If  the  reader  shall  find  in  these  pages  as  much  to 
awaken  his  interest,  to  warm  his  heart  and  to  make  him  re- 
joice in  the  privilege  of  sharing  in  such  a  heritage — as  the 
writer  has  derived  from  his  labors  and  researches,  this  publi- 
cation will  not  be  in  vain. 

Seventh-day  Baptists  have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of 
their  ancestry.  Sabbath  advocates  and  defenders  have  been 
among  the  ablest  and  best  of  the  communities  and  countries  in 
which  they  have  lived  and  labored.  We  can  only  regret  that 
we  know  so  little  of  them ;  yet  cannot  but  rejoice  that  what 
we  do  know  is  all  worthy  of  being  remembered  and  handed 
down  to  posterity.  J.  L.  G.\mble. 

Alfred,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  7,  1904. 


CHARLES   HENRY   GREENE. 
See     Biographical   Sketches,   p.   1361. 


THE    SABBATH  IN    THE    BRITISH    ISLES 

Including  Organized    Seventh-day  Baptist   Churches  ami    Prominent 
Authors  and  Defenders  of  the  Bible  Sabbat ii. 


Re\ .  j.    Lee  Gamble  and   Charles  H.  (Jreene. 


I.     EARLY  CIVILIZATION  OF  THE  BRITISH  ISLES. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  or  unimportant  to  note  that 
the  earHest  known  inhabitants  of  these  isles  were  not  so  rude 
and  uncivilized  as  is  sometimes  supposed.  That  the  Britons 
were  of  Asiatic  origin  seems  to  be  supported  by  the  testimony 
of  Theophilus,  bishop  of  Antioch,  (A.  D.  i6o),  and  by  the  sim- 
ilarity between  Druidism  and  the  rites  of  Baal  and  Ashtoreth 
as  practiced  in  the  East.  Certain  traditions  indicate  that 
Britain  may  have  been  settled  by  a  Trojan  colony  some  time 
after  the  fall  of  Troy,  and  took  its  name  from  the  leader  of 
that  colony.  There  is  evidence  that  the  British  Isles  were 
known  in  the  time  of  King  Solomon,  and  that  before  their 
conquest  by  Julius  Ciesar  they  were  as  civilized  as  the  Greeks 
who  fought  about  Troy.  The  Britons  were  versed  in  poetry  and 
music,  mathematics,  geometry,  astronomy,  philosophy,  psy- 
chology, geography,  rhetoric,  metallurg)-,  agriculture,  naviga- 
tion, and  a  form  of  writing,  now  all  but  lost,  by  which  their 
sacred  mysteries  were  preserved  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion. The  island  was  divided  into  a  number  of  petty  king- 
doms which  were  always  at  war  with  one  another,  except  in 
case  of  great  common  danger,  or  when  one  kingdom  developed 


22  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

vuiusual  strength ;  then  an  arch-king,  called  "Pendragon/'  rvtl- 
ed  over  them  all  while  the  danger  lasted,  or  while  his  strength 
endured.  This  was  the  condition  of  England  when  Julius 
Cfesar  discovered  the  islands,  B.  C.  55. 

George  Smith  shows  that  their  religion  "bore  some 
resemblance  to  that  professed  by  the  Hebrew  patriarchs  before 
the  giving  of  the  law ;"  that  they  had  "clear  and  correct  views 
of  the  divine  unity,  nature,  and  attributes ;"  that  they  "seemed 
to  have  fully  believed,  and  clearly  taught,  the  doctrines  of  a 
divine  superintending  Providence ;"  and  that  in  many  other 
points  they  approached,  in  doctrine  and  worship,  the  stand- 
ards of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  (Smith's  "Religion 
of  Ancient  Britain;"  pp  35-54.) 

Hence,  to  say  the  least,  they  were  not  in  a  condition 
unfavorable  to  the  reception  of  Christianity. 

H.     EARLY  PLANTING  OF  CHRISTIANITY  IN  THE 
BRITISH  ISLES. 

That  Christianity  was  established  in  Britain  between  the 
years  K.  D.  51  and  A.  D.  61,  either  by  the  Apostle  Paul  him- 
self or  by  converts  made  by  him  during  his  Roman  imprison- 
ment, is  the  testimony  of  many  credible  historians.  Gildas, 
the  earliest  British  writer  of  history,  born  A.  D.  520,  says 
of  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into  the  islands :  "Mean- 
while these  islands,  stiff  with  cold  and  frost,  and  in  a  distant 
region  of  the  world,  remote  from  the  visible  sun,  received 
the  beams  of  light,  that  is,  the  holy  precepts  of  Christ — who  is 
the  true  Sun,  and  who  shows  to  the  whole  world  his  splendor, 
nor  only  from  the  temporal  firmament,  but  from  the  height  of 
heaven,  which  surpasses  everything  temporal — at  the  latter 
part,  as  we  know,  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  Caesar,  by  whom 
his  religion  was  propagated  without  impediment."  Compar- 
ing this  with  the  previous  passage,  the  events  mentioned 
appear  to  be  limited  by  the  "meanwhile"  to  a  period  between 
the  defeat  of  Boadicea,  A.  D.  61,  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the 
other  to  events  not  far  distant — such  as  the  defeat  of  Carac- 
tacus.  A.  D.  51.  Therefore  the  testimony  of  Gildas  is  to  the 
effect  that  the  gospel  was  preached  in  Britain  before  the  year 
61.     (Yeowell,  p.  22.) 


rilK  SAIUIA'lll    IX    KXCLAXn.  2}^ 

TESTIMONY  OF   THE  FATHERS. 

[renaeus,  A.  D.  178.  says  that  the  church  in  his  time  was 
spread  throughout  tlie  worlil ;  and  especially  mentions  tlie 
churches  in  (jermany  Spain,  (iaul,  and  Britain.  He  adds: 
"There  is  no  diiYerence  of  faith  or  tradition  in  any  of  these 
countries." 

Eusebius,  Bishop  of  Caesarea,  A.  D.  325-340.  in  showing 
that  the  Apostles  who  first  preached  the  gospel  to  the  world 
could  be  no  imposters  or  deceivers,  names  many  countries 
in  which  they  labored,  and  then  adds  particularly,  that  "some 
j^assed  over  the  ocean  to  those  which  are  called  the  liritish 
Isles." 

Chrysostom,  A.  D.  398,  mentions  "The  Britannic  Isles" 
as  having  felt  the  power  of  the  Word,  and  says:  "To  what- 
ever quarter  you  turn — to  the  Indians  or  Moors  or  Ijritons. 
even  to  the  remotest  bounds  of  the  West,  you  will  find  this 
(ioctrine." 

Theodoret,  A.  D.  423-460,  especially  enumerates  the 
Britons  as  one  of  the  nations  converted  by  the  Apostles. 

DID    PAUL    PREACH    THE    GOSPEL    IN    BRrrAIN  ? 

The  credit  of  introducing  Christianity  into  this  region 
has  been  claimed  not  only  for  Paul,  but  also  for  Peter.  Philip, 
John,  Simon  Zelotes,  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea ;  but  the  most 
of  the  church  fathers,  and  other  authorities,  favor  the  mission 
of  St.  Paul. 

Clement  of  Rome,  A.  D.  96,  says:  "St.  Paul  preached 
in  the  East  and  West,  leaving  behind  him  an  illustrious  record 
of  his  faith,  having  taught  the  whole  world  righteousness,  and 
having  traveled  even  to  the  utmost  bounds  of  the  ^^'est." 

Jerome.  A.  I).  392,  says:  "St..  I 'aid.  having  been  in  Si)ain. 
went  from  one  ocean  to  another."'  "I  lis  diligence  in  ])reach- 
ing  extended  as  far  as  the  earth  itself."  "After  his  imi)ris- 
onment  he  ])reached  in  the  western  parts." 

X'enantius  I'^)rtunatus.  .\.  D.  560,  says:  "St.  Paul  passed 
over  the  ocean  to  the  Island  of  1  Britain,  and  t(^  Thulo,  the 
extremity  of  the  earth."     (Ireland?) 

Many  similar  tt'stimonies  might  be  given  to  the  early 
planting  of   Christianity    m    Britain,   and    that    this   was   done 


24  SEVENTH-DAY    BAP'JlS'rS  : 

by  the  Apostle   Paul  between  his  first  and   second   imprison- 
ments. 

MORE    MODERN    HISTORIANS. 

In  addition  to  the  authority  of  the  historians  of  the  nine 
first  centuries,  the  interested  reader  may  find  the  subject  ably 
discussed  and  defended  in  the  learned  works  of  Archbishops 
Parker  and  Ussher ;  Bishops  Stillingfleet,  Lloyd  and  Burgess  ; 
Camden,  Cave,  Gibson,  Godwin,  Nelson,  Rapin,  Roberts.  Row- 
land, Soames,  and  others. 

Bishop  Stillingfleet,  in  his  "Antiquities  of  the  British 
Church,"  spoken  of  as  the  most  complete  and  learned  work 
on  the  subject,  containing  a  full  account  of  the  early  ecclesi- 
astical history  of  Britain  from  the  first  introduction  of  Chris- 
tianity to  the  conversion  of  the  Saxons,  wdiile  rejecting  many 
of  the  traditions  respecting  the  British  church,  yet  believes  m 
the  visit  of  St.  Paul  to  this  country.  (Yeowell,  p.  viii.) 
With  this  view  agree  the  authors  named  above. 

Dr.  Hales,  however,  author  of  "Primitive  British  Church" 
(1819),  dififers  from  the  other  learned  antiquarians,  ancient 
and  modern,  as  to  Paul's  preaching  in  Britain ;  and  the  intro- 
duction of  Christianity  into  this  island  he  refers  to  Bran, 
the  father  of  Caractacus,  during  the  apostolic  age.  There 
is  neither  need  nor  time  to  introduce  here  this  interesting  story. 
Nor  can  we  more  than  simply  refer  to  the  Welsh  "Triads." 
and  "Genealogy  of  the  Saints,"  the  earliest  historical  writ- 
ings relating  to  the  Britons,  both  testifying  to  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  and  the  founding  of  the  Christian  church  in  the 
British  Isles  early  in  the  first  century,  either  by  Paul  or  by 
converts  to  Christianity  made  by  him  in  his  Roman  prison. 

George  Smith,  after  summing  up  the  evidence,  given  in 
part  in  the  preceding  lines,  says :  "We  can  not  avoid  saying  that 
many  accounts,  supported  by  a  much  less  amount  of  evidence, 
are  generally  regarded  as  portions  of  undoubted  history." 
(Religion  of  Ancient  Briton,  pp  130.  131.) 

We  need  not  doubt,  therefore,  that  Christianity  was 
planted  in  the  British  Isles  centuries  before  the  advent  of 
Augustine.  (A.  D.  596),  the  first  papal  missionary  to  these 
islands,  sent  out  by  Pope  ( iregory  the  ( ireat. 


THE  SABBATH  /X  ENGLAND.  25 

III.     THE  SABBATH  IN  THE  BRITISH  ISLES. 

There  are  many  reasons  for  believing  that  the  British 
church  was  a  Sabbath-keeping  church  from  the  first,  and  for 
several  succeeding  centuries ;  in  fact,  the  Sabbath-keepers  have 
continued  in  unbroken  succession  from  the  first  introduction 
of  Christianity  down  to  the  present  day. 

1.  The  first  proposition  is  certainly  true,  if  the  church 
was  founded  by  the  Apostle  Paul  or  his  immediate  converts. 

2.  Many  church  fathers  testify  that  Sunday  had  not  dis- 
placed the  Sabbath  as  late  at  least  as  Socrates,  the  church  histo- 
rian who  wrote  about  the  close  of  the  fifth  century  that,  with 
the  exception  of  Rome  and  Alexandria,  "all  the  churches 
throughout  the  whole  world  celebrate  the  sacred  mysteries  on 
the  Sabbath-day."  (Socrates:  "History  of  the  Church."  p. 
289.     London.     1880.) 

3.  In  the  biography  of  Augustine  who  came  from  Rome 
A.  D.  596,  to  convert  the  heathen  Saxons,  we  are  told  that  he 
found  the  people  of  Britain  in  the  most  grievous  and  intoler- 
able heresies,  "being  given  to  Judaizing,  but  ignorant  of  the 
holy  sacraments  and  festivals  of  the  church."  That  is  to  say, 
they  kept  the  Bible  Sabbath  and  were  ignorant  of  the  Roman 
"Sunday-festival."  (Mrs.  Tarmar  Davis:  "History  of  Sab- 
batarian Churches,"  p.  108.     Phila  185 1.) 

Watson,  (Annals,  p.  136),  "says:  "Rome  through  Augus- 
tine did  more  mischief  in  one  year  toward  the  subverting 
of  the  Christian  church  and  See  of  Britain  than  had  the 
Saxon  pagan  done  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  before." 

4.  The  Easter  controversy  indicates  the  hold  which  the 
Sabbath  had  upon  the  British  Christians.  If  we  remember  that 
Christianity  came  to  Britain  from  the  Eastern  church  rather 
than  from  the  Western,  it  will  help  us  to  understand  this  dis- 
cussion. 

Dr.  Schaff  says :  "The  observance  of  the  Sabbath  gradu- 
ally ceased  in  the  West.  Yet  the  Eastern  church  to  this  day 
marks  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  excepting  the  Easter  Sab- 
bath, by  omitting  fasting  and  by  standing  in  prayer."  (Church 
History,  p.  2i7-     1^50-) 

Gibbon   (  1854,  vol.    I.     ])]:>  515-517^.  writes:  "As  for  the 


25  SEVEXTH-I).\V    IIAI'TISTS: 

observance  of  Easter,  others  in  other  parts  of  Asia  vary  in 
the  month,  but  hold  it  on  Saturday." 

John  Price,  in  "The  Ancient  British  Church,"  ( pp  <jo,  94, 
Note),  says:  "The  original  difference  (about  Easter)  was  that 
the  Western  church,  followed  herein  by  the  churches  of  Jeru- 
salem and  Antioch  and  Alexandria,  observed  Good  Friday 
either  on  the  14th  of  the  month  Nisan.  if  it  fell  on  Friday, 
or,  if  not,  on  the  next  Friday ;  and  Easter  on  the  following 
Sunday.  The  Eastern  church  did  not  do  that  way."  And 
then  he  adds,  "There  is,  however,  an  unfair  insinuation  that 
the  British  Christians  were  Judiac  in  their  observance  of 
Easter  day,  in  a  letter  of  Pope  elect,  John  (A.  D.  634),  to 
the  Scoti ;  and  in  Aldhelm's  Epistle  to  Geruntius."  This  "insin- 
uation," far  from  being  vmfair,  is  rather  the  more  a  true  state- 
ment of  the  Sabbath  observance  of  the  Celtic  church,  which 
even  celebrated  its  Easter  or  resurrection  festival  on  the  day 
which  the  Scriptures  point  out  as  the  one  on  which  the  Saviour 
rose  from  the  grave,  (which  was  "late  on  the  Sabbath."  Matt. 
28:  1-4). 

Peter  Heylyn,  in  speaking  of  the  early  church  in  Britain 
observing  its  Easter  on  some  other  day  than  Sunday,  says : 
"Which  they  certainly  had  not  done  had  the  Lord's  day 
obtained  amongst  them  that  esteem  which  generally  it  had 
found  in  the  Western  church." 

The  British-Celtic  church  observed  Easter  on  the  seventh 
day  of  the  week  until  A.  D.  664,  when  Rome  triumphed  in  the 
controversy  through  the  action  of  Oswald,  king  of  Northum- 
berland, whom  the  Catholics  convinced  of  their  succession 
from  St.  Peter,  "the  gate-keeper  of  heaven."  C)£\v?i'l  thought 
he  had  better  be  on  good  terms  with  Peter,  else  he  might  not 
get  inside  the  golden  gate  !  'I'hus  SuncUw  liegan  to  be  hal- 
lowed in  Northumberland. 

Colman  the  Culdee,  rather  than  snl)mit  lt>  this  decision, 
took  his  monks  and  retired  to  lona  and  then  to  Ireland. 
(OT-Talleron's  "Hist,  of  Ireland,"  p.   195.) 

Yet  after  all  their  pains  to  establish  Sunday  as  the  Sal)- 
bath,  it  a])pears  that  Christians  generally,  and  in  England  and 
Scotland  particularly.  ke])t  the   Seventh-day   Sal)]x\th  until  the 


THE  SAIUiATli   IN    EXGLAXD.  2"] 

13th    century.       ("The    Sabbath-dax' :    Remember    to    keep    it 
lioly,"  p.  6:  William  Stillman.      1843.) 

In  the  further  study  of  this  subject  we  will  consider 
separately  the  various  ^q'eoq-raphical  divisions  of  these  islands: 

/.     Ireland. 

We  believe  the  Sabbath  was  observed  here  because : 

1.  Ussher  says  that  the  church  in  this  island  w^as  estab- 
lished "statim  post  passionem  Christi" — soon  after  the  passion 
of  Christ;  and  therefore  before  Sunday  was  thought  of. 

2.  The  constant  einnity  Ijetween  Ireland  and  ancient 
Rome  prevented  any  kind  of  friendly  intercourse.  The  doc- 
trine of  Christ  came  not  from  thence  here,  but  from  the 
churches  in  Asia.     (0"Halleron's  "Hist,  of  Ireland."  pp  146- 

^74-) 

3.  O'Halleron  further  says  in  this  connection  (p  172), 
"In  the  present  reign  (Dermond,  A.  D.  528),  and  for  nearly 
a  century  preceding  it,  Christianity  was  in  the  most  flourish- 
ing condition  in  Ireland.  They  received  it  from  Asiatics. 
These  last,  in  many  instances,  adhered  more  closely  to  the 
Jewish  customs  than  did  the  Roman  Christians." 

4.  There  is  ample  evidence  that  St.  Patrick,  "the  Apostle 
of  Ireland,"  never  had  any  connection  whatever  with  Rome, 
and  that  he  was  a  Sabbath-keeper.  The  establishment  of  the 
Sabbath-keeping  community  on  the  island  of  lona,  under  the 
headship  of  St.  Columba,  was  manifestly  the  residt  of  Pat- 
rick's preaching.     Like  begets   like. 

5.  Celtic  Ireland  was  neither  papal  nor  inclined  to  sub- 
mit to  the  papacy,  until  Henry  II.  riveted  the  Roman  yoke 
upon  them.  (Fronde's  "Rngland  in  Ireland,"  p.  17;  O'Hal- 
leron's  "Hist,  of  Ireland,"  ]).  i<).)  In  A.  D.  1155  Pope  Adrian 
gave  Ireland  to   King  Henry  [o  bring  into  the  Romish  fold. 

A  small  renmant  of  Sabbath-keepers  has  persisted  in 
Ireland  unto  this  time;  a  church  ov  society  lieing  found  there 
as  late  as   1840. 

_'.     Scotland. 

Prof.  MolYat,  ("Church  in  Scotland,"  p.  140),  says:  "It 
seems  to  have  been  customary  in  the  Celtic  churches  of  early 
times,  in  Ireland  as  well  as  in  .Scotland,  to  keep  ."Saturday,  the 


28  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Jewish  Sabbath,  as  a  day  of  rest  from  labor.  They  obeyed  the 
commandment  Hterally  upon  the  seventh  day  of  the  week." 
This  is  an  important  concession  from  a  Princeton  professor  of 
church  history. 

The  same  author,  speaking  of  the  Culdees  of  Columba's 
time,  and  of  the  Scottish  church  of  Queen  Margaret's  time, 
says :  "Christianity  was  still  taught  in  Scotland  by  the  church 
of  which  Columba  had  planted  the  seeds  in  lona,  for  the 
Guldees  had  substantially  maintained  the  succession."  (Mof- 
fat, p.   128.) 

We  know  that  Columba  was  a  Sabbath-keeper  to  the  day 
of  his  death.  We  also  know  that  at  the  time  to  which  Moffat 
refers  the  Sabbath  was  observed  by  a  majority  of  the  Scot- 
tish church ;  for  we  are  told  that  Queen  Margaret,  in  trying 
to  harmonize  the  Scottish  church  with  the  rest  of  Europe, 
■found  "her  next  point  of  complaint  against  them  was  that 
they  did  not  reverence  the  Lord's  day,  but  that  they  held  Sat- 
urday to  be  the  Sabbath."  (Skene's  "Celtic  Scotland,"  vol. 
■2,  pp  348,  349.)  To  this  fact  of  history  the  Encyclopedia 
Britannica    bears    testimony.      (Article:    St.    Margaret,      vol. 

15-  P-  544-) 

It  seems  therefore  unquestionably  established  that  Scot- 
land kept  the  Bible  Sabbath  from  the  very  first  on  down  to 
as  late,  at  least,  as  1069-1093.  And  it  was  not  until  as  late  as 
A.  D.  1203  that  Scotland  bowed  the  neck  to  Rome  and  relin- 
quished the   faith  of  her   fathers, — and  with  it  the   Sabbath. 

This  end  was  accomplished  through  the  impious  ruse  of 
the  mysterious  roll  commanding  Sunday  observance  under 
severest  penalties,  said  to  have  fallen  from  heaven  upon  the 
altar  of  a  saint  in  Jerusalem.  (See  Lewis'  "Sabbath  and  Sun- 
day," pp  197-202.)  And  yet  for  all  this,  as  late  as  A.  D. 
T557,  we  find  Sunday  classed  with  "other  festival  days"  of 
the  church ;  for  a  meeting  of  barons  and  nobles  was  held  in 
Scotland  that  year,  when  it  was  thought  expedient  "that  in 
all  parishes  of  this  realm  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  be 
read  on  Sunday  and  other  festival  days  publicly,"  &c. 

In  Frank  "Leslie's  "Popular  Monthly"  for  Nov.,  1897, 
is  an  article  on  "Fisher  Folks  of  Scotland,"  in  which  it  is  said 
that   among  the   fishermen   of   Scotland   of   the   present   time 


THE  SA1515ATII   IX   ENGLAND.  2q 

''Sunday  is  strictly  kept  as  a  day  of  rest;  no  boats  go  out  after 
Saturday  mornino-."  The  writer  thinks  this  is  because  they 
fear  they  might  be  kept  out  on  the  water  over  Sunday.  l^)Ut 
is  it  not  rather  a  remnant  of  the  (^Id  Sal)bath-kee])ing  ])rinci- 
ples  and  practices  of  Scotland? 

3.     IJ'alcs. 

There  is  much  evidence  that  the  Sabbath  prevailed  in 
Wales  universally  until  A.  D.  1115,  when  the  first  Roman 
Bishop  was  seated  at  St.  David's.  The  old  Welsh  Sabbath- 
keeping  churches  did  not  even  then  altogether  bow  the  knee 
to  Rome,  but  fled  to  their  hiding  places  "where  the  ordinances 
of  the  gospel  to  this  day  have  been  administered  in  their  ])rim- 
itive  mode  without  being  adulterated  by  the  corrupt  cluu-cli 
of  Rome."     (].  Davis'  Baptist  History,  Ch.  i.) 

Vavasor  Powell,  (1617-1671).  was  one  of  several  com- 
monly called  "first  reformers  of  the  Baptists  in  Wales,"  who 
w'ere  successful  in  quickly  gathering  many  followers  at 
Caerleon  and  its  vicintiy.  Joshua  Toulmin  says  of  Powell : 
"His  sentiments  were  those  of  a  Sabbatarian  Baptist."  (Neal's 
"History  of  the  Puritans,"  2,  274.)  Thomas  Armitage. 
("Baptist  History,"  pp  600,  601).  states  that  Powell  and  his 
churches  were  not  in  the  Baptist  Association.  Toulmin's  state- 
ment furnishes  the  reason.  This  writer  also  says  he  gathered 
"above  twenty  distinct  societies  consisting  of  from  two  hun- 
dred to  five  hundred  members." 

Dr.  Lewis,  in  "Sabbath  and  Sunday."  p.  150,  says  there 
is  no  trace  of  Sunday  legislatitm  in  Wales  before  its  union 
with  England  in  A.  D.  1282.  All  this  is  convincing  evidence 
of  the  ancient  and  continued  Sabbath-keeping  principles  of 
the  Welsh  people.     They  were  Sabbath-keeping  Baptists. 

4.  England. 
The  history  of 'the  Sabbath  in  l-jigland  proper  leaves  no 
doubt  that  the  seventh  day  was  originally  observed,  and  for 
centuries,  and  that  in  this  part  of  the  Island,  as  in  other  parts, 
the  banner  of  Sabbath  t-ruth  has  nevrr  l)een  without  brave 
defenders. 

NOT   DIFFERENT   FROM    IREr.AND    AND    SCOTLAND. 

What  has  been  said  in   general   about    Irclrmd  and   Scot- 


30  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

land  is  equally  true  of  England.  The  Christians  of  Britain 
were  of  the  same  character  as  those  of  Scotland,  at  least  before 
the  coming  of  Augustine.  Laurentius,  IMelitus  and  Justus, 
when  making-  to  Augustine  their  report  of  the  Christians  of 
Great  P^ritain,  said  they  "had  found  by  conversation  with  them 
that  the  Scots  do  not  differ  from  the  Britains."  (W^nerable 
Bede,   ii.  4.  p.   118.) 

Since  the  church  in  Scotland  was  a  Sabbath-keeping 
church,  and  the  Britons  of  the  southern  part  of  the  island 
were  not  different  from  them,  it  follows  that  they  also 
observed  the  Seventh-day  as  the  Sabbath.  (Moft"at,  p.  140. 
as  already  shown,  testifies  that  Scotland  kept  the  Sabbath  as 
late  as  the  eleventh  century.) 

ALWAYS  DIFFERENT  FROM   ROME. 

England  was  always  dift'erent  from  Rome  and  not 
dependent  upon  it.  James  Yeowell,  ("Chronicles,"  p.  109). 
in  speaking  of  exemptions  from  the  Roman  patriarchate  and 
others,  mentions  certain  ancient  MSS.  in  the  Bodleian  Library, 
and  then  says: — "In  which  MSS.  neither  England,  Scotland, 
nor  Ireland  is  reckoned  as  depending  on  the  Roman  patriarch- 
ate: altho  it  is  as  certain  there  was  a  complete  and  absolute 
Church  settled  in  this  island  long  before  these  MSS.  were 
(or  can  be  supposed  to  have  been)  drawn  up,  as  that  there 
was  one  at  Rome  itself.'" 

That  the  British  Church  was  different  from  that  of  Rome, 
we  may  learn  from  the  fact  that  when  the  Roman  missionar}- 
to  the  heathen  Saxons  inquired  of  the  Pope  how  he  was  to  be- 
have toward  the  Bishops  of  France  and  Britain,  the  Pontiff" 
answered  him : — "We  give  thee  no  authority  over  the  Bishops 
of  France,  for  we  ought  not  to  deprive  the  Bishop  of  Aries  of 
the  authority  which  he  hath  received  from  us.  But  all  the 
Bishops  of  Britain  we  commit  to  thee."  (Lloyd"s  "Clnu-cli 
Gov't,"  p.  80.) 

And  in  "Burgess  Tracts,"  pp.  253.  254.  we  have  this: — 
"It  appears  that  these  northern  churches  were  shut  out  from 
her  (Rome's)  communion,  and  were  called  the  schismatics 
of  Britain  and  Ireland  for  no  other  reason  than  that  they  would 
not  receive  Rome's  attentions,  nor  submit  to  the  authority  by 
which  they  were  imposed."     They  certainly  would  not   have 


THP:  SABT!y\TH  IN  ENGLAND.  3 1 

been  called  "schismatics"  if  they  had  been  in  doctrine  and  faith 
like  the  Church  of  Rome. 

Burgess  further  says: — "In  our  country  the  autliorit}-  of 
the  Pope  was  unknown  during  the  six  first  centuries — was  not 
acknowledged  b}-  the  Saxon  pringes,  tlio  submitted  to  by  some 
of  the  sovereigns  subsequent  to  the  conquest,  and  was  not 
admitted  by  those  who  were  nearest  in  succession  to  the  Saxon, 
kings." 

It  is  apparent  that  the  Anglo  Saxons  in  their  earl\-  settle- 
ment of  Great  "Britain"  were  many  of  them  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists. (See  Winebrenner's  "History  of  all  Religious  Denomi- 
nations,"  p.  96;  ed.  1853.) 

As  Rome  was  in  the  observance  of  Sunday  at  this  time. 
Britain  was  "schismatic"  in  that  she  still  held  to  the  doctrint- 
of  the  early  Church,  both  as  to  the  Sabbath  and  other  things. 

Bede  (book  3.  chapt.  4),  says  of  Columba  and  his  dis- 
ciples, that,  "having  no  one  to  bring  them  the  Synodal  decrees, 
by  reason  of  their  being  so  far  away  from  the  rest  of  the  world, 
they  therefore  practiced  only  such  works  of  piety  as  they 
could  learn  from  the  prophetical,  evangelical  and  apostolical 
writings." 

What  further  or  better  testimony  is  needed  to  prove  that 
the  British  Church  for  at  least  six  centuries  kept  the  Sabbath 
of  Jehovah,  and  practiced  Scriptural  baptism?  Happy  the 
Church  universal  if  she  had  followed  such  "apostolic  succes- 
sion." 

SUNDAY  RKGARDED  SIMPLY  AS  A  FESTIVAL. 

In  all  Saxon  laws,  beginning  with  A.  D.  688,  Sunday  is 
spoken  of  as  a  "festival;"  and  not  the  least  reference  is  made 
to  any  divine  law  or  sacredncss. 

In  A.  D.  878  Alfred  had  a  Sunday  law  under  the  head : — 
"Of  working  on  a  'festival.'  " 

King  Edward,  A.  D.  959-975.  enacted: — "Let  the  festivals 
of  every  Sunday  be  kept,"  etc. 

In  A.  D.  1017-1035  Canute.  King  of  Denmark,  became 
king  of  all  England :  his  Sunday  law  reads,  "let  every  Sunday's 
festival  be  held  from  noon  of  Saturdav  till  noon  of  Monday." 


32  SEVENTH-DAY    F.APTISTS  : 

Jk-nry  XL,  A.  D.  1448: — "All  manner  of  fairs  and  mar- 
kets in  the  said  principal  feasts,  and  Snndays.  and  Good  Fri- 
days, shall  clearly  cease,"  etc.    ' 

During  the  Puritan  supremacy.  A.  D.  1640-1660,  Sunday 
was  called  the  "Lord's  day,"  and  the  laws  were  strict  and  ex- 
plicit ;  but  previous  to  this  date  Sunday  was  simply  a  "festival 
day"  without  divine  authority ;  and  the  "Book  of  Sports."  by 
James  I.,  in  1618,  and  by  Charles  I.,  in  1633,  shows  the  way  in 
which  the  day  was  regarded — held  simply  by  expediency  and 
by  human  authority  only.  (The  above  quotations  are  made 
from  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis'  "Sundav  Legislation."   1902,  pp.  73- 

THE    W'ALDENSES    IN    ENGLAND.       IO7O-I315. 

Mr.  George  Molyneaux,  a  resident  of  Alilford  Haven. 
Wales,  says: — "All  the  Christian  Church  were  seventh-day 
observers  during  the  early  centuries.  Sunday  is  from  Rome 
and  was  but  slowly  pushed  into  the  British  Church."  This 
is  certainly  a  true  statement ;  but  while  the  Sabbath  was  being 
gradually  crowded  out  of  the  Establishment,  a  new  lamp  was 
being  lighted  whose  brightness  was  to  shine  with  splendor,  the 
the  bearers  should  change,  until  the  time  of  Charles  IL  And 
then,  changing  again,  it  was  to  blaze  up  once  more ;  and  now. 
tho  burning  very  low,  the  ancient  light  still  shines  with  an 
ever  steady  clearness  and  brilliancy. 

The  ancient  Waldenses  had  now  spread  themselves  over 
nearly  all  of  Europe,  and  in  "the  time  of  William  the  Con- 
queror (1070),  and  his  son,  William  Rufus,  it  appears  that  the 
Waldenses  and  their  disciples  out  of  France,  Germany,  and 
Holland  had  their  frequent  recourse  and  did  abound  in  Eng- 
land; and  had,  about  A.  D.  1080,  generally  corrupted  all 
France,  Italy,  and  England."  (Crosby's  History  of  the  Eng- 
lish Baptists,     2:  43,  44.) 

Toward  the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century  a  society  of 
Waldenses  made  its  appearance  in  England,  coming  originally 
from  Gascoyne,  where,  "being  numerous  as  the  sands  of  the  sea, 
they  sorely  infested  France,  Italy,  Spain,  and  England." 
(Lewis:  "Sabbath  and  Sunday,"  p.  211.) 

In  the  thirteenth  century  the  Waldenses  had  spread  abroad 
through  twenty-two  countries  of  Europe.  Britain  being  one. 
(2) 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  33 

(Benedict:  p.  31.)  There  was  not  among  tlieni  all  perfect 
agreement  in  sentiments ;  yet  that  they  were  opposed  to  the 
pretensions  and  innovations  of  Rome,  and  that  they  clave  only 
td  the  text  of  Scripture,  is  admitted  by  all.  That  they  "despised 
the  feast  of  Easter,  and  all  the  festivals  of  Christ  and  the 
Saints,"  is  also  generally  admitted.     (Benedict:  1813:  2:  412, 

413-) 

"Purchase's  Pilgrimage,"  a  sort  of  universal  history  pub- 
lished in  London,  England,  in  1625,  says  that  they  "keep  Sat- 
urday holy,  nor  esteem  Saturday  fasts  lawful ;  but  even  on 
Easter  they  have  solemn  services  on  Saturday,  eat  flesh,  and 
feast  it  bravely  like  the  Jews."  (Lewis:  Sabbath  and  Sun- 
da}'.     pp.  216,  217.) 

By  A.  D.  1260  these  people  had  increased  to  at  least  800,- 
000 — some  say,  upwards  of  3,000,000.  So  there  was  no 
lack  of  Sabbath  light  even  in  these  earl}  times.  (Benedict: 
1848,  p.  31.)  Having  upheld  the  Sabbath  truth  for  nearly 
three  centuries,  until  A.  D.  13 15.  the  Waldenses  seem  to  have 
been  merged  into  the  Lollards. 

THE    LOLLARDS    IN    ENGLAND. 

The  Lollards  were  followers  of  John  Wyckliffe,  and  were 
the  adherents  of  a  religious  movement  which  was  widespread 
at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century  and  the  beginning  of  the 
fifteenth,  and  which,  to  some  extent,  maintained  itself  on  to  the 
Reformation.  (Brit.  XIV.  Article,  "Lollards.")  The  first 
official  use  of  the  word  appears  in  1387,  when  the  Bishop  of 
Winchester  issued  a  mandate  against  five  of  these  "poor 
preachers,"  as  they  were  called,  to  suppress  them. 

The  movement  took  its  name  from  Walter  Lollard,  a  Ger- 
man preacher,  who  in  the  reign  of  Edward  IIL,  about  the 
year  A.D.  1350,  came  to  England.  He  was  called  by  Peter  Per- 
rin,  "a  Waldensian  Bard."  Benedict,  (History,  p.  307),  says  he 
was  "a  man  of  great  renown  among  the  Protestants  of  that 
day  in  Germany ;  and  was  so  eminent  in  England,  that,  as  in 
France  they  were  called  Berengarians  from  P)erengarius.  and 
Petrobrussians  from  Peter  de  Bruys,  so  also  did  the  Walden- 
sian Christians  for  many  generations  bear  the  name  of  this 
worthy  man,  being  called  Lollards." 

I'.encdict    (History,   p.   308).    further   says: — "They   now 


34  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

abounded ;  more  than  half  of  the  nation  became  Lollards ;  yea. 
they  covered  all  England.  In  1389  they  formed  separate  and 
distinct  societies  agreeable  with  Scripture.  In  these  churches 
all  the  brethren  were  equal,  each  could  preach,  baptize,  jfnd 
break  bread.  They  were  united  in  opinion  as  one.  and  were 
called  "Bible  men,"  since  they  allowed  no  office  not  enjoined  in 
the  Word  of  God.  Their  hostility  to  the  hierarchy,  and  their 
numbers,  aroused  their  enemies  to  adopt  severe  measures.  In 
the  year  1400  a  law  was  passed  sentencing  Lollards  to  be  burned 
to  death.  In  Norfolk  they  abounded,  and  there  they  suffered 
severely.  Still  the  "Bible  men"  increased,  and  became  danger- 
ous to  the  Church.  They  are  said  to  have  numbered  100,000." 
Henry  VIII.,  while  in  conflict  with  the  Pope,  relieved  and  en- 
couraged the  Lollards  in  his  kingdom ;  and  this  led  their  per- 
secuted brethren  from  all  parts  of  Europe  to  flock  to  England 
in  great  numbers,  to  enjoy  religious  liberty,  and  to  strengthen 
the  cause  of  true  religion. 

That  these  people  were  immersion  Baptists,  and  generall}' 
refused  to  baptize  infants,  is  admitted  even  by  their  enemies. 
Benedict  (p.  308),  says  of  Walter  Lollard: — "Lie  was  in  sen- 
timent the  same  as  Peter  de  Bruys,  who  was  the  founder  of 
the  Petrobrussians  of  France."  The  Lollards  w^re  like  the 
Petrobrussians,   and  these   were   Sabbath  keepers. 

Dr.  Allix  ("Ecclesiastical  History  of  the  Ancient  Piedmont 
Church,"  p.  162),  gives  evidence  of  their  Sabbath-keeping  prin- 
ciples ;  he  refers  to  a  Romish  priest  who  said  he  had  handled 
"five  questions  against  the  Petrobrussians  which  1)ear  a  great 
resemblance  to  the  belief  of  the  Cathari  of  Italy.""  That  the 
Cathari  did  retain  and  observe  the  ancient  Sabbath,  is  certified 
by  their  Romish  adversaries.  Dr.  Allix  quotes  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic author  of  the  twelfth  century  concerning  three  sorts  of 
heretics — the  Cathari,  the  Passagii,  and  the  iVrnoldistae ;  and 
says  of  this  Romish  writer : — "He  lays  it  down  as  one  of  their 
opinions  that  the  law  of  Moses  is  to  be  kept  according  to  the 
letter,  and  the  Sabbath  ought  to  take  place." 

Bishop  White,  in  speaking  of  Sabbath-keeping  as  opposed 
to  the  practices  of  the  Church,  says : — "It  was  thus  condemned 
in  the  Nazarenes  and  in  the  Cerinthians,  in  the  Ebionites  and 
in  the  Hypsistarii.     The  ancient   Synod  of  Laodicea  made  a 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  35 

decree  against  it ;  also  Gregory  the  Great  affirmed  it  was  Judai- 
cal.  In  St.  Bernard's  time  it  was  condemned  in  the  Petro- 
brussians.  The  same  hath  then  and  ever  since  been  condemned 
as  Jndaish  and  heretical."      (Treatise  on  the  Sabbath,  p.  8.) 

Dr,  Hessey  says : — "The  Lollards,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fourteenth  century,  entertained  a  strong  antipathy  to  Saints' 
Days,  and  extended  it  even  to  the  weekly  Festival  of  the  Res- 
surrection" — Sunday.     (Brompton  Lectures,  p.  95.) 

"Studies  in  English  History,"  by  Gardner  and  Spedding, 
(1881,  p.  296),  says:  "The  Lollards  *  *  =•=  Could  not 
overlook  the  injunction  contained  in  the  Fourth  Command- 
ment *  *  *  here  were  most  positive  words  of  Scripture 
*  *  *  and  the  clear  tendency  of  Lollard  teaching  was  to 
carry  out  the  Scripture  command  to  the  letter."  The  "Sab- 
bath Memorial"  for  January,  1882,  also  bears  testimony  to  the 
same  effect. 

With  all  this  testimony  before  us  we  cannot  doubt  that  the 
Lollards  were  Sabbath-keepers,  observers  of  the  seventh  day 
of  the  week,  the  Sabbath  which  God  himself  enjoined  at  the 
beginning  of  creation,  and  which  he  has  never  repealed.  It  is 
clear  also  that  as  early,  at  least,  as  A.  D.  1389  they  were  formed 
into  regularly  organized  churches — "separate  and  dis- 
tinct societies  agreeable  to  Scripture."  Thus  the  succession  of 
Sabbath  witnesses  is  maintained  unbroken  from  the  first  cen- 
tury down  to  the  Reformation. 

In  A.  D.  1530,  one  of  the  pastors  of  the  Waldenses.  George 
Morel,  published  the  Memoirs  of  his  church.  He  said  there 
were  then  800,000  professing  the  Waldensian  faith.  This  can 
well  be  believed  when  one  considers  the  host  of  martyrs  that 
they  furnished;  and  that  in  1315  there  were  80,000  in  Bohemia 
alone.  (Benedict,  p.  80.  Wm.  Jones'  History  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,    p.  440.) 

THE  ANABAPTISTS  IN   ENGLAND. 

About  the  time  of  Luther's  Reformation,  early  in  1520. 
certain  of  the  old  evangelical  Baptists  of  Germany  were  called 
"Anabaptists,"  because  they  rebaptised  all  who  entered  their 
communion.  That  they  had  a  comparatively  pure  creed,  and 
were  faithful  in  their  testimony  against  the  corruption  of  the 
Romish  Church,  is  admitted  bv  all.     That  they  were  immersion 


36  SEVENTH-DAY    i'.AI'TISTS  : 

Baptists,  the  very  name  indicates ;  anfl  that  they  were  observers 
of  the  seventh-day  Sabbath  will  be  presently  shown. 

About  the  year  T565  they  made  their  appearance  in  Eng- 
land, which  had  always  been  a  cave  of  i\dullam  and  a  city  of 
refuge  to  those  who  were  persecuted  for  righteousness  sake. 
These  Anabaptists  lasted  as  such  for  a  little  over  one  century, 
and  then  they  were  merged  into  some  of  the  other  evangelical 
churches.  As  further  evidence  that  the}'  flourished  in  Eng- 
land, the  "Broadmead  Records :  Historical  Introduction,"  p. 
53,  states  that  "In  1568  the  Dutch  Anabaptists  held  private 
Conventicles  in  London,  and  perverted  man}-.'' 

In  1525  certain  fanatics  of  Alunster,  Germany,  thought  to 
set  up  the  kingdom  of  Christ  on  earth,  "taking  heaven  by 
storm."  These  people  ran  to  wild  extremes,  and  cast  much 
discredit  upon  the  cause  of  true  religion.  The  true  Anabap- 
tists, however,  had  no  part  nor  lot  with  these  ranting  visiona- 
ries, yet  they  were  unfortunately  classed  with  them ;  and  this 
was  used  as  a  pretext  for  renewed  persecution. 

Many,  if  not  all,  of  the  Anabaptists  observed  the  seventh- 
day  Sabbath.  Dr.  Francis  White  (Treatise  on  the  Sabbath 
Day,  p.  132),  says: — "They  who  maintain  the  Saturday 
Sabbath  to  be  in  force,  comply  with  the  x\nabaptists." 

Russen  (On  Anabaptists,  London,  1703,  p.  79),  speak- 
ing of  heresies,  says : — "Under  this  head  I  could  conclude  some 
of  them  under  those  of  Anabaptists,  who  have  been  inclined 
to  this  personal  reign  of  Christ,  and  have  embraced  the  seventh- 
day  Sabbath." 

In  "Sabbath  Redivivum,"  by  Cawdrey  and  Palmer,  Lon- 
don, 1562,  it  is  said: — "It  seems  the  Anabaptists,  who  usually 
cry  down  the  Sabbath  either  as  antichristian  or  ceremonial, 
began  to  see  the  necessity  of  a  Sabbath ;  and  will  rather  return 
to  the  old  Sabbath  with  the  Jews  than  have  none  at  all." 

James  Ockford,  whose  book  on  the  Sabbath  was  "sharply 
confuted  with  fire,"  in  1642,  was  called  an  Anabaptist. 

Thus  the  Anabaptists,  who  were  clearly  Sabbath-keepers, 
took  the  torch  from  the  Waldenses  and  Lollards,  and  carried, 
it  for  about  a  century  in  England. 

It  may  be  asked.  What  became  of  the  Sabbath-keeping 
Waldenses   and   Lollards?      Benedict    (History    of    Baptists, 


THE  SAlJBATll   IX    E.NGLAM).  37 

1848,  p.  79),  in  speaking  of  these  people  in  connection  with 
the  Reformation,  says : — "The  multitudes  who  lay  concealed 
in  almost  all  parts  of  Europe  hailed  with  joy  the  dawn  of  that 
day  which  should  relieve  them  from  the  persecuting  power 
of  the  despotic  heads  of  the  Roman  Church.  But  soon  they 
found  themselves  in  their  expectations  mistaken,  became  en- 
tirely dissatisfied  Avith  some  of  the  principles  on  wdiich  the 
Reformation  was  conducted,  and  so  far  as  their  voice  could  be 
heard  they  entered  their  decided  protest  against  the  Protes- 
tants, and  believed — that  the  Reformation  needed  reforming. 
But  at  length  these  afflicted  ^^'aldenses  were  ready  to  submit 
to  almost  any  condition  for  the  sake  of  gaining  new  friends 
and  protectors ;  and  one  company  after  another  became  asso- 
ciated by  way  of  correspondence,  as  an  incipient  measure,  and 
in  the  end  were  amalgamated  with  tlie  Reformed  or  Protes- 
tant party.     (Benedict,  1848,  p.  83.) 

"The  Baptist  Cyclopedia"  (1881),  states  the  case  thus: — 
'Mn  1530,  according  to  Du  Pin,  the  Waldenses  united  with  the 
Reformers,  and  were  persuaded  to  renounce  certain  pecu- 
liarities which  heretofore  they  held,  and  to  receive  doctrines 
which  till  then  had  been  foreign  to  their  creed.  This  new  ar- 
rangement harmonized  the  reformations  of  the  twelfth 
and  sixteenth  centuries,  and  probably  removed  Baptist  doc- 
trines from  the  valleys  of  the  Piedmont.  This  ancient  com- 
munity is  now  Presbyterian,  and  had  its  delegate  in  the  recent 
Pan-Presbyterian  Council  in  Philadelphia." 

However,  in  spite  of  this  great  defection,  many  remained 
faithful ;  and  from  Reformation  times  until  the  present  day, 
the  British  Isles  have  not  been  without  organized  Seventh-Day 
Baptist  Churches. 

IV.  ORGANIZED  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTl SI- 
CHURCHES. 

Thus  far  we  have  endeavored  to  show,  and  think  we  have 
done  so,  that  Christianity  was  planted  in  the  islands  of  Great 
Britain  in  the  apostolic  age;  that  it  w-as  Sabbath-keeping  in 
character;  that  for  some  six  centuries,  at  least,  the  Sabbath 
prevailed  in  these  islands,  and  that,  on  down  to  the  Refor- 
mation, Sabbath  advocates  and  adherents  abounded  in  im- 
broken  and  persistent  succession. 


38  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

We  now  come  to  the  subject  of  organized  Seventh-Day 
Baptist  Churches. 

A.  D.  1558. 

Chambers'  Cyclopedia  states  that  "many  conscientious  and 
independent  thinkers  in  the  reign  of  EHzabeth  (1558-1603) 
advocated  the  seventh-day." 

A.  D.  1552. 

The  Sabbath  Recorder  of  June  11,  1868,  says: — "In  1552 
many  in  England  were  known  as  Sabbatarians." 

A.  D.  1545. 

Dr.  Samuel  Kohn,  chief  Rabbi  of  Budapest,  Hungary,  in  a 
recent  work  (Sabbatarians  in  Transylvania,  1894,  pp.  8,  9"), 
says: — "In  Bohemia  Sabbatarians  sprung  up  as  early  as  1530. 
Such  Sabbatarians,  or  similar  sects,  we  meet  about  1545  among 
the  Quakers  in  England.  Several  leaders  and  preachers  of 
the  Puritans  have  re-transferred  the  rest  day  from  Sunday  to 
Saturday;  and  the  Christian  Jews  who  arose  in  England  and 
partly  emigrated  to  Germany,  and  settled  near  Heidelberg, 
believed,  indeed,  in  Jesus,  but  they  also  celebrated  the  Sabbath 
and  regarded  the  Jewish  laws  in  reference  to  meats  and 
drinks." 

A.  D.  1536. 

Both  Robert  Cox  and  Dr.  Hessey  trace  the  origin  of  the 
Seventh-Day  Baptists  of  England  to  the  time  of  Erasmus 
(1466-1536),  who  wrote  of  Sabbatarians  in  Bohemia  early  in 
the  Reformation.  Descendents  of  the  Waldenses  in  Bohe- 
mia and  Holland  formed  material  for  Sabbath-keeping 
Churches,  which  appeared  with  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation. 
(Lewis:     Sabbath  and  Sunday,     pp. 317-320.) 

A.  D.  1389. 

We  have  already  noted  that  Benedict  (History  of  Bap- 
tists, p.  308),  speaks  of  "separate  and  distinct  societies"  of 
Sabbath-keeping  Lollards  as  early  as  A.  D.  1389. 

From  the  multiplicity  of  testimony  we  cannot  but  be  con- 
fident that  there  were  organized  Sabbath-keeping  Churches 
much  earlier  than  an}-  definite  date  which  can  be  fixed  by 
historical  documents.  Existing  records  and  accounts  take  us 
back  no  further  than  about  1617  A.  D.     From  that  date  until 


THE  SABBATH   IX  ENGLAND.  39 

the  present  we  have  learned  more  or  less  of  something  like 
thirty-two  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Churches  in  England,  Scot- 
land and  Ireland.  But  our  information  in  many  instances  is 
very  meagre ;  of  very  few  do  we  know  the  exact  date  of  organ- 
ization ;  of  many  we  simply  know  that  they  were  in  existence 
as  early  as  a  given  date,  or  that  they  were  alive  as  late  as  a 
certain  time ;  of  a  few  we  have  been  unable  so  far  to  discover 
any  date,  altho  the  evidence  of  their  existence  at  some  time  is 
quite  clear. 

We  shall  endeavor  to  give  them  in  as  nearly  chronological 
order  as  possible. 

(A)  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  KNOWN  CHURCHES. 

(l)       MILL    YARD_,    LONDON.       1617. 

1.  Origin.  Some  have  supposed  that  this  church  owes  its 
origin  to  the  labors  of  John  James,  who  was  martyred  Oct. 
19,  1 66 1.  President  Daland  goes  back  as  far  as  about  1580. 
In  1617  (or  i6i6)John  Trask  came  to  London  from  Salis- 
bury, and  held  revival  meetings.  One  of  his  disciples,  named 
Hamlet  Jackson,  w'as  the  means  of  bringing  Trask  and  many, 
if  not  all,  of  his  congregation  to  the  observance  of  the  seventh- 
day  Sabbath  in  about  1617,  and  Elder  William  M.  Jones  says 
that  this  Traskite  congregation  was  the  origin  of  the  Mill 
Yard  Church.  All  the  records  of  this  church,  prior  to  1673, 
w-ere  destroyed  in  the  fire  of  1790;  the  "Old  Church  Book," 
dating  from  1673  to  1840,  refers  to  an  older  Record;  the  "New 
Church  Book"  dates  from  1840  to  the  present  time. 

2.  Place  of  ivorship.  P'rom  the  beginning  until  1654  they 
worshipped  "near  Whitechapel ;"  in  1661  their  meeting  place 
was  in  "Bull  Stake  Alley,"  and  in  1680  they  were  at  East 
Smithfield — for  from  here  they  addressed  a  letter  to  the  New- 
port (R.  I.)  Church,  dated  East  Smithfield,  London,  Dec. 
21,  1680.  From  1 69 1  to  1885  they  worshipped  in  Mill  Yard 
Goodman's  Fields,  County  of  ^Middlesex,  a  part  of  London, 
now  in  the  heart  of  the  metropolis.  Their  chapel  here  was 
burned  in  1790,  and  in  September  of  the  same  year  the  first 
stone  of  a  new  edifice  was  laid  by  John,  Joseph  and  William 
Slater,  the  only  trustees  for  some  years. 

After  being  dispossessed  of  their  Mill  Yard  property  in 
1885.  they  met  for  worshij)  in  the  Commercial  Street   l>aptist 


40  SEVENTH-DAN'    i;A  I'llSTS  : 

Church  until  1892,  and  then  in  the  Welsh  llaptist  Church  in 
Eldon  Street,  where  once  worshipped  a  Calvinistic  Seventh- 
clay  I'aptist  Church,  which  became  extinct  about  1840.  For 
some  time  since  1900.  the  congregation  assembled  in  private 
houses ;  and,  to  accommodate  the  widely  scattered  Hock,  two 
separate  meetings  were  held — one  at  the  residence  of  Lt.  Col. 
Thomas  W.  Richardson,  and  the  other  either  at  the  house  of  the 
Church  Secretary,  or  at  the  home  of  the  deacon.  On  the 
4th  of  April,  1903,  this  Church  began  to  hold  services  in  St. 
Thomas'  Hall,  Gillespie  Road,  Highbury  Vale. 

3.  Pastoral  service.  The  early  pastorates  are  difficult  to 
determine;  the  following  arrangement  is  probal)l\-  very  nearly, 
if  not  entirely,  correct : 

John  Trask i6i7-i6i() 

Dr.  Peter  Chamberlen 1653          ? 

John   James ?-i66r 

William    Sellers "1670-1678 

Henry    Soursby 1678-171 1 

John   Savage 1712-1720 

John  Maulden 1712-1715 

Robert    Cornthwaite 1726-1755 

Daniel    Noble 1752-1783 

Peter   Russell 1755-1789 

William   Slater 1784-1819 

William    Henry    Black 1840-1872 

William  Mead  Jones 1872-1895 

W^illiam  C.  Daland 1896-1890 

William  Sellers  was  pastor  when  the  present  records  began, 
1673.  After  William  Slater's  death,  in  1819,  there  was  a 
period  of  about  twenty-one  years  without  a  pastor ;  the  Mill 
Yard  Chapel  was  closed  until  1826,  when  the  pulpit  began  to 
be  supplied  by  various  First-day  Baptist  ministers,  until  Elder 
Black  became  pastor.  At  the  death  of  Elder  Jones,  in  1895. 
some  desired  to  close  the  chapel  and  give  up  the  long  and 
l)rofitless  struggle ;  but  others  thought  differently,  'and  in 
March,  1895,  a  church  meeting  was  held  and  an  appeal  made 
to  their  American  brethren   for  ministerial   aid.     Kev.  W.  C. 


*  Klder  Black  says,  1657. 


< 
O   1 


THE  SAUliATH   1 X    KNGLAND.  4I 

Daland  was  sent  over  to  them,  and  remained  about  two  months  ; 
on  his  return  he  recommended  that  the  Missionary  Society 
send  the  Mill  Yard  Church  a  missionary  pastor  suited  to  their 
needs,  for  the  space  of  three  years.  This  recommendation  was 
adopted  by  the  Missionary  Society,  and  the  ^lill  Yard  Church 
called  Dr.  Daland  to  be  its  pastor ;  he  returned  to  England  in 
the  Spring  of  1896  (May  ist)  and  served  the  Church  as  its 
pastor  until  Dec.  31,  1899.  Since  that  date  the  Church  has 
been  without  a  pastor.  Rev.  A.  T.  de  Learsay  and  Lt.  Col. 
Thomas  W.  Richardson  have  acted  in  that  capacity. 

With  the  pastorates  of  John  James  and  William  Sellers 
arose  a  custom  of  dual  pastorates  which  continued  until  1789; 
hence  the  overlapping  of  pastoral  dates. 

4.  Membership.  The  first  members,  as  given  in  Jubilee 
Papers,  were  John  Trask  and  wife,  William  Hillyard,  Christo- 
pher Sands,  Rev.  Matthew  Coppinger,  ]\Iary  Chester.  Mr. 
Hebden,  Mr.  Wright,  et  al.  A  little  later,  about  1653.  appear 
the  names  of  Peter  Chamberlen,  John  Light,  John  Spittlehouse. 
John  Davis,  Richard  Ellis,  Richard  Smith,  Robert  Peak. 

The  time  of  greatest  prosperit}'  seems  to  have  been  dur- 
ing the  pastorate  of  Robert  Cornthwaite ;  the  Church  records 
of  1730  give  accounts  of  meetings  for  thanksgiving  and  prayer 
in  view  of  the  interest  manifested  in  various  places  respecting 
the  Sabbath.  The  chapel  seated  two  hundred  and  fifty,  had  a 
gallery,  and  was  well  filled  in  the  eighteendi  century ;  the 
society  was  in  a  flourishing  condition,  many  persons  of  ([ualitx 
being  members  of  this  ancient  church.  These  brethren  would 
come  to  meeting  in  fine  equipages,  with  servants  and  liveried 
footman  ;  for  the  latter  the  gallery  was  prt)vi(le(l,  where  they 
might  receive  the  benefits  of  the  go.spel  and  \et  be  by  them- 
selves. 

Among  the  ])ersons  of  eminence  who  l)elonged  to  this 
church  were  such  as  Joseph  Davis,  the  generous  benefactor: 
George  Carlow  and  Edward  IClwall,  authors  of  Sabbath  pam- 
phlets; Nathanael  I'.ailey,  the  lexicographer:  William  Tem- 
pest, F.  R.  S.,  barrister  and  poet;  et  al. 

In  1673  there  were  seventy  members:  seventy-nine  in 
1681;  but  thirty-eight  women  in  1737;  in  1763  the  munber 
reached  eighty-seven,  the  largest  figure  ever  attained  by  this 


42  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

church.  When  Dr.  Black  became  pastor,  in  1840,  there  were 
five  members — Ann  Slater,  Harriet  Slater,  Charlotte  Slater, 
Sophia  Slater,  and  Rev.  William  H.  Black,  who  in  1844,  mar- 
ried Harriet  Slater  as  his  third  wife ;  in  1845  there  were  seven 
members;  in  1855,  thirteen;  in  i860,  twenty;  in  1870,  eight;  in 
1872,  but  four — Deacon  Thomas  Rix,  Rev.  W.  M  .  Jones,  who 
joined  that  year,  Mrs.  Solomon  Carpenter,  and  Mrs.  W.  M. 
Jones,  the  last  two  being  daughters  of  Elder  Black ;  and  in 
1895  there  were  nineteen  members — nine  resident  and  ten  non- 
resident, eleven  males  and  eight  females. 

The  Mill  Yard  Church  has  been  recognized  as  a  member 
of  the  General  Conference  since  the  visit  of  Rev.  George  B. 
Utter  from  America  in  1843,  ^"^  a  letter  of  fraternal  greeting 
from  that  church  to  the  Conference  in  1844.  June  4th.  Since 
that  date  it  has  continued  to  report  from  time  to  time  wnth  con- 
siderable regularity. 

5.  Creed  and  name.  The  church  records  show  that  "on 
the  first  day  of  the  month  (September.  1698),  the  ten  Com- 
mandments were  set  up  in  the  meetinghouse."  In  1704,  the 
ten  commandments,  together  with  Matt.  5:  19;  Rev.  12:  17 
and  14:  12,  are  mentioned  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave  the  im- 
pression that  these  were  the  Church's  Articles  of  Faith ;  and 
indeed  it  seems  never  to  have  had  any  other. 

The  first  mention,  in  the  records,  of  the  title  "Seventh-day 
Baptists,"  is  under  date  of  October  6,  1754.  when  there  occurs 
the  following  entry: — "The  Congregation  of  Protestants  dis- 
senting from  the  Church  of  England,  commonly  called  the 
Seventh-day  Baptists,"  etc.  How  long  they  had  been  "com- 
monly" so  called,  we  do  not  know. 

6.  Property  interests.  In  1691,  in  connection  with  others. 
Joseph  Davis,  Sr.,  purchased  the  Mill  Yard  property,  consist- 
ing of  chapel,  burying  ground,  three  cottages,  almshouse  and 
parsonage.  The  chapel  seated  two  hundred  and  fifty,  and  had 
a  gallery.  This  chapel  was  burned  in  1790,  and  the  same  year 
the  corner  stone  of  a  new  edifice  was  laid.  In  1700,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  eight  Seventh-day  Baptist  Churches  then  exist- 
ing in  England,  Mr.  Davis  conveyed  a  portion  of  his  property 
in  due  form  to  nine  trustees,  providing  for  their  perpetuation 
in  case  of  deaths.     The  first  were  Joseph  Davis,  .^r..   Henry 


THK  SAIUIATII   IX   ENGLAND.  43 

Soursby,  Peter  Lawrence,  John  Savage,  Thomas  Slater.  Judah 
Gadbury,  Joseph  Davis,  Jr.,  William  Sellers  and  John  Moore ; 
Air.  iNIoore  died  that  year,  and  John  Smith,  a  linen  draper,  was 
appointed  in  his  place.  In  1706  Joseph  Davis,  Sr.,  died,  and 
the  bulk  of  his  property  went  to  his  son,  Joseph  Davis,  Jr., 
subject  to  an  annual  "rent  charge"  in  favor  of  the  Mill  Yard 
and  seven  other  Seventh-day  I^)aptist  Churches  then  existing  in 
England.  The  son  died  in  1731  without  issue,  and,  by  pro- 
vision of  his  father's  will,  the  estate  became  vested  in  the 
trustees  for  the  use  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church ;  and  all  these 
years, from  the  income  of  this  property,  have  been  paid  the 
salaries  of  the  pastors  of  the  Mill  Yard  and  Xatton  Churches. 
The  total  income  in  1880  was  six  hundred  pounds  sterling; 
and  in  1902,  over  seven  hundred  pounds. 

In  the  Sabbath  Recorder  of  Aug.  i,  1895,  Rev.  Dr.  W.  C. 
Daland  stated  that  Joseph  Slater,  Jr.,  Nov.  i,  1809,  "out  of 
malice  against  his  uncle,  William  Slater,  and  out  of  opposition 
to  the  religious  principles  of  the  congregation,"  filed  in  the 
High  Court  of  Justice  an  information  against  his  uncle,  the 
minister.  This  Joseph  Slater  afterwards  left  the  membership 
of  this  church  and  became  attached  to  the  Church  of  England, 
but  retained  his  trusteeship  and  secured  his  own  friends  to  be 
trustees ;  and  so  the  whole  property  has  ever  since  been  in  the 
Court  of  Chancery. 

In  1885  this  location  was  desired  by  the  London,  Tilbury 
and  Southend  Railroad  for  a  terminus ;  and  instead  of  nego- 
tiating with  the  owners  of  the  property,  they  went  to 
representatives  of  the  Crown,  stated  their  wants,  and  agreed 
upon  a  price — 5,500  pounds  sterling — which  was  paid  into  the 
Court  of  Chancery  to  be  passed  over  to  the  rightful  owner. 
The  Church  vacated  the  property  June,  1885,  and  the  railroad 
took  possession. 

Such  a  splendid  sum  of  money  seemed  too  much  to  be  al- 
lowed to  go  to  a  small,  struggling  congregation  of  a  despised 
sect ;  and  as,  owing  to  the  small  number  of  male  members  in 
this  church,  the  majority  of  the  trustees  had  come  to  be  first- 
day  Baptists,  they  represented  to  the  Court  of  Chancery  that 
the  Seventh-day  Baptists  were  dead — or  so  nearly  so  as  to  be 
in  no  condition  to  carry  o\\{  the  objects  for  wliicli  the  propert}" 


44  si-;\i:\  iii-DAV   itAi-risis: 

liad  been  given  ;  and  that  tliev.  being-  next  of  kin  to  the  de- 
ceased, were  the  proper  persons  to  receive  it.  For  a  time  it 
seemed  tliat  they  would  succeed  in  altogether  depriving  the 
rightful  owners  of  any  share  at  all  in  the  property ;  but  finally 
a  "Scheme"  was  agreed  upon  ]:)roviding,  on  certain  conditions, 
for  the  erection  of  a  chapel  for  the  joint  use  of  the  Mill  Yard 
people  and  the  (first-day)  General  Baptist  Church  of  the  New 
Connection  ;  and  also  directing  the  trustees  of  the  Joseph  Davis 
fund  to  pay  one  hundred  pounds  per  annum  to  the  Mill  Yard 
Society  "towards  the  expenses,  including  any  minister's  sti- 
pend and  the  rent  of  a  place  of  meeting,"  until  said  chapel 
should  be  built.  But  nothing  has  been  done  to  carry  out  this 
"Scheme,''  no  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  trustees  to  erect 
such  a  chapel,  and  the  one  hundred  pounds  have  not  been  given 
to  the  Society.  iVs  previously  stated,  the  little  church  met  for 
worship  until  April  4,  1903,  in  the  homes  of  its  members ;  and 
it  looks  very  much  as  tho  their  enemies  would  prevail  against 
them  after  all,  in  depriving  them  of  all  benefits  of  the  property 
which  rightfully  belongs  to  them  alone,  and  thus  succeed  in 
utterly  diverting  this  property  from  the  original  and  only  piu-- 
pose  of  the  testator. 

This,  in  brief,  is  the  history  of  this  ancient  church,  which, 
for  nearly  three  hundred  years,  has  maintained  unremitted 
worship,  and  held  aloft  the  banner  and  torch  of  Sabbath  truth. 
(2)     NATTON.     1640. 

I.  Location.  Natton  is  a  small  hamlet  about  two  or  three 
miles  from  Tewkesbury,  in  Gloucestershire,  in  the  west  of 
England ;  it  is  about  ninety  miles  from  London,  fifteen  from 
Gloucester,  and  thirty-five  from  Birmingham. 

2.  Orgamsation.  There  is  evidence  that  there  were  Sab- 
bath-keepers here  as  early  as  1620,  and  this  church  was  prob- 
ably gathered  not  later  than  1640;  but  a  complete  organization 
may  not  have  been  effected  until  about  1650.  Prior  to  1680. 
Natton  seems  to  have  been  a  mixed  congregation  consisting 
of  both  first-day  and  seventh-day  observers. 

3.  Pastoral  service. 

John  Cowell ?-i68o 

John   Purser 1660-1720 

Edmund  Townsend 1720-1727 


GRAVEYARD  AT  NATTOX.  XI-.AR  ll' W  K  i:SIURV.  KNGLANIX 

ffdrliss    I'i|7.    Uiiiidolph    Sliiiulinir    with    imtc    ImmiU    in    li:iii<l.) 
TIIK     CIIAI'KL     AT     NATION. 
(Chapel    to   tlic   loft,   attached    to   the    B'.iriii house.     Corliss    IMt/.    Uaiulolph.   and 
James  Purser — a  descendant  of  Ik^ijamin   Purser  who  built  the  chapel — standing 
in    the   fore^'rouml.) 


I  ill-:  .S.\)'.i:.\l  II    I.\   ENGLAND.  45 

I  'liilip    Jotics 1 727- 1 770 

Thomas   I  Tiller 1770-1790 

An  inU'riin  of  several  years. 

Henry    .Matty •"- 1^45 

John    l'>ancis 1S45-1870 

'riiomas    Wilkinson i87o-i<;o3 

Mr.  John  Cowell,  author  of  the  "Snare  Broken,"  was  prin- 
eipal  preacher  in  the  beginnin<T^  of  the  mixed  congregation. 
He  beg-an  to  keep  the  Sabbath  in  1661,  and  left  it  in  1671.  Mr. 
Purser  preached  at  Ashton  while  Cowell  was  his  su])erior  and 
senior.  Cowell  was  not  in  all  points  in  harmony  with  Purser, 
and  this  caused  some  friction  between  the  two. 

.\l  l^lder  C'owell's  deatli,  July  31.  1^)80.  i^lder  John  I'urscr 
to(jk  sole  charge  at  Natton,  with  the  best  of  results.  He  was 
descended  from  a  family  of  considerable  wealth  and  influence, 
but  was  disinherited  by  his  father  because  he  kept  the  seventh- 
day  Sabbath.  Yet  it  ])leased  the  Lord  to  give  him  ])rf)sperity 
when  he  became  a  farmer  in  the  country.  He  suffered  much  for 
conscience  sake  between  the  years  1660  and  1690.  He  reared 
a  large  family  of  children  who  "all  walked  in  his  steps,"  also 
many  of  his  grandchildren.  He  served  the  church  faithfully 
for  about  sixty  years,  until  his  death  in  1720.  The  descend- 
ents  of  Mr.  I^lrser  continue  active  in  the  work  of  the  Natton 
Church  to  the  present  day.  About  fifty  years  ago  the  deacon 
of  this  church  was  Isaac  Purser;  he  died  May  17,  1864,  aged 
seventy-five  years.  The  present  deacon  is  John  Purser,  who 
has  served  in  that  capacity  since  1870.  I  fe  was  liaptized 
by  Elder  John  Francis  in  1851. 

Edmund  Town.send  succeeded  John  i'urser  as  pastor,  in 
1720,  until  he  was  called  in  1727  to  London,  to  succeed  Joseph 
Stennett  as  pastor  of  the  Pinner's  Hall  Church.  At  the  same 
time  there  had  been  preaching  to  other  branches  of  the  widely 
scattered  flock  two  young  men  who  gave  great  promise  of 
usefulness — IMiilip  J(jnes  and  Thomas  Boston. 

Philip  Jones  was  chosen  to  succeed  Elder  Townsend ;  and 
having  served  the  church  faithfully  for  about  fifty  years,  fort\  - 
three  of  which  he  was  "leading  elder"  or  pastor,  he  died  in 
1770.  He  was  a  man  of  untiring  energy,  going  where  duty 
called  hiiu.  braving  storm  and  flood  that  he  might  meet  his  np- 


46  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

pointments.  He  had  regular  preaching  stations  at  Chatten- 
ham,  Ashton,  Parford,  Xatton  and  other  places.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  earnestness  and  power,  and  "a  good  and  lively 
preacher  of  the  gospel."  During  his  pastorate  the  Natton 
church  increased  to  thirty  or  forty. 

His  nephew  succeeded  him,  and  served  until  his  death  in 
1790;  he  is  buried  in  the  chapel  burying  ground,  dedicated  for 
that  purpose  by  Benjamin  Purser.  This  nephew,  Thomas 
Hiller,  was  at  the  same  time  pastor  of  a  first-day  Baptist  church 
in  Tewkesbury,  and  is  said  to  have  been  "successful  at  Nat- 
ton  as  well  as  at  Tewkesbury." 

After  Elder  Hiller's  death  there  was  an  interim  of  some 
years,  during  which  the  church  was  without  a  regular  pastor; 
but  meetings  were  sustained  by  the  aid  of  the  Baptist  preacher 
in  Tewkesbury.  One  Henry  Matty,  deacon  of  the  first-day 
Baptist  church,  had  the  pastoral  oversight  of  the  Natton  church 
for  a  while,  receiving  for  the  same  twenty  pounds  a  year  from 
the  Davis  Charity.  He  died  Dec.  14.  1845,  ^^  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years. 

After  this,  Elder  John  Francis,  a  Welshman,  took  the 
oversight  of  the  church  and  served  until  his  death,  in  1870. 
His  salary,  at  first  sixty  pounds,  and  afterwards  one  hundred 
and  forty  pounds,  was  paid  out  of  the  Davis  Charity.  Deacon 
John  Purser  says  he  was  not  a  Sabbath-keeper. 

After  the  death  of  Elder  Francis,  Thomas  Wilkinson,  a 
first-day  Baptist  minister  of  Tewkesbury,  became  pastor  of  the 
Natton  church.  He  received  eighty  pounds  a  year  from  the 
Davis  Charity,  as  his  salary.  For  about  eighteen  years  before 
his  death  he  was  bed-ridden  with  spinal  trouble,  and  his  duties 
were  performed  by  a  deputy.  Sometimes  when  this  assistant 
arrived  at  Natton  he  found  no  audience,  and  then,  of  course, 
there  was  no  service  for  that  Sabbath ;  but  when  three  persons 
appeared  at  high  noon  of  a  Sabbath-day,  he  would  preach 
with  as  much  earnestness  as  tho  there  was  an  audience  of  thous- 
ands. Elder  Wilkinson  died  Feb.  9,  1903,  at  the  age  of  nearly 
ninety  years,  and  the  church  is  now  without  a  pastor ;  but 
meetings  are  sustained  by  Alfred  Appleton  and  Deacon  Purser. 

There  was  baptism  at  Natton  as  late  as  1858 ;  and  the  last 


JOHN  PURSER. 
See    Biographical    Skctclws,  p.    136K 


THE  SABBATH  IN  EN'GLAXD.  47 

report  of  inenibership  was  seven.     Deacon  Isaac   Purser,  of 
this  church,  died  in  1864,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 

4.  Place  of  meeting.  The  churches'  principal  place  of 
meeting  in  those  early  days  was  at  Ashton,  where  Elder  Purser 
resided ;  but  meetings  were  held  at  other  places  within  a  range 
of  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles. 

In  1 7 18,  Benjamin,  youngest  son  of  Elder  John  Purser, 
purchased  a  small  place  at  Natton,  and  fitted  up  part  of  his 
house  as  a  chapel  for  divine  service ;  and' this  is  still  used  as 
the  meeting  house  of  this  church.  This  building  is  probably 
the  only  one  now  standing  in  England  which  is  distinctively  a 
Seventh-day  Baptist  chapel.  It  is  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
a  part  of  the  farmhouse  which  it  adjoins.  It  is  built  of  brick 
and  wood,  with  a  thatched  roof.  The  room  is  a  small  one, 
not  capable  of  seating  over  a  dozen  people  at  most ;  it  contains 
a  small  high  pulpit,  a  communion  table,  a  fireplace,  a  sedilium 
(seat)  below  the  pulpit  for  the  clerk.  A  gallery  extends  over 
about  half  the  space  of  the  chapel.  The  entrance  is  thru  the 
dooryard  of  the  farmhouse.  Mr.  Purser  walled  off  a  portion 
of  his  orchard  for  a  graveyard,  and  here  sleep  many  of  the 
saints,  pastors  and  people,  of  those  early  days. 

The  meeting-house  and  burying  ground,  with  five  pounds 
per  annum  from  his  estate  for  all  succeeding  ministers,  were 
left  by  Benjamin  Purser  (d.  1765)  for  the  use  of  the  Natton 
Church  for  all  time.  This  was  considered  a  sacred  legacy  in 
the  Purser  family,  down  to  the  middle  of  the  first  quarter  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  when  Benjamin  Purser,  the  father  of 
the  present  deacon,  having  married  for  his  second  wife  a 
woman  who  was  not  a  Sabbath-keeper,  changed  the  entail  so  as 
to  benefit  her  children.  Thus  has  that  legacy  been  alien- 
ated. 

5.  Decline.  Appropos  to  the  causes  of  Natton's  decline, 
and  the  fact  that  for  many  years  it  has  had  only  first-day  pas- 
tors, Deacon  John  Purser  writes,  under  date  of  Aug.  20,  1902: 
"My  opinion  is  that  Natton  will  not  go  on  well  until  there  is  a 
true  Sabbath  pastor  there ;  then  I  think  it  would  likely  prosper, 
and  not  till  then.  Also,  I  think  the  break  in  the  deacon's  office 
was  when  Rev.  Francis  caused  a  law  suit  between  Natton 
Church  and  Kinsham  Church,  and  the  Cotumissioners  decided 


48  SKVKNTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

ill  Francis*  favor,  putting  Kinshani  Church  hefore  Natton.  I 
understand  they  were  very  near  knocking  out  Natton  alto- 
gether; so  v^'e  have  to  he  thankful  for  the  old  chapel."  He 
inquired  if  it  would  be  possible  to  get  from  the  United  States, 
"a  true  Sabbath-keeping  pastor,  one  who  would  throw  his 
whole  heart  and  soul  into  the  work  of  Christ." 

Note. — By  the  scheme  of  1823,  promulgated  by  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  Davis  Charity,  the  rent  from  the  Majilesread  estate, 
fifty  pounds,  was  given  to  Natton ;  the  other  country  churches, 
formerly  beneficed  by  the  Davis  Charity  endowment,  having 
ceased  to  observe  the  Sabbath,  or  become  extinct. 

See  Mill  Yard  publications,  W.  H.  Black.  (Page  XII.  pre- 
face.) 

An  interesting  article  appeared,  /\pril  13.  1901,  in  the 
Binningham  Weekly  Post,  from  which  the  f(^ll()wing  is  an  ex- 
tract:— "All  the  other  Seventh-day  Baptist  churches  in  the 
provinces  died  out,  except  that  at  Natton,  in  the  parish  of  Ash- 
church.  There  the  congregation  meets  on  Saturday  mornings 
when  all  their  neighbors  are  about  their  secular  occupations, 
and  generally  are  ministered  to  by  a  nonconformist  minister 
of  another  denomination  from  Tewkesbury.  It  is  long  years 
since  a  seventh-day  keeper  was  pastor  of  Natton  Church,  and 
the  first  London  pastor  was  sent  over  from  the  United  vStates. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  type  of  service  to  differentiate  it  from 
that  of  an  ordinary  nonconformist  service,  and  necessarily  little 
or  nothing  is  said  in  advancing  the  peculiar  views  whose  prev- 
alence founded  the  sect.  There  are  large  charities  connected 
with  the  general  body,  and  the  Natton  property  is  vested  in 
nine  trustees.  The  existence  of  the  sect  is  known  to  but 
few  people,  and  rarely  does  a  stranger  make  an  addition  to 
the  regular  congregation  of  half  a  dozen  or  eight  persons. 
But  it  is  certainly  an  interesting  fact  that  such  a  body  should 
have  existed  for  two  centuries  and  a  half.  The  curious  in  such 
matters  would  do  well  to  store  up  a  record  of  the  sect  before 
it  passes  out  of  existence  altogether.  There  appears  to  be  little 
attempt  to  propagate  the  faith,  and  without  such  effort  the 
number  of  adherents  is  not  likely  to  increase.  The  tiny  congre- 
gation— the  only  meeting  of  the  kind  out  of  London — is  one  of 
the  oddest  things  in  the  ecclesiastical  world.  Not  merely  is 
(.3) 


THE  SABDATH  IN  ENGLAND.  49 

the  gathering  inconvenient,  one  would  think,  but  the  place  of 
assemblage  is  a  remote  corner — in  a  farmyard."' 

How  could  there  be  anything  but  decline  under  the  cir- 
cumstances ?  Xo  apparent  attempt  to  propagate  the  faith :  and 
how  could  there  be  such  efforts  under  first-day  pastors ! ! ! 

(3)       BURTON-ON-TRENT,   DERBYSHIRE.       165O. 

From  several  sources  we  learn  that  in  1831,  or  '2,2,  there 
was  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  at  Repton,  near  Burton-on- 
Trent,  in  Derbyshire,  having  William  W^itt  as  pastor,  and 
William  Patterson  as  deacon.  They  had  a  large  brick  meeting 
house  of  their  own,  in  which  meetings  were  held  every  Sabbath- 
day  ;  and  many  of  the  members  were  among  the  most  prosper- 
ous and  respected  tradesmen  in  the  town. 

This  is  doubtless  the  same  as  the  Sabbatarian  church  at 
"Burton,"  mentioned  in  the  Binniiighaiii  Jfcckly  Post,  as  in 
a  flourishing  condition  in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury;  hence  the  date  we  give  this  church,  1650;  but  it  was  in 
all  probability  organized  years  before  this  time. 

Burton  has  now  become  the  Milw^aukee  of  England ; 
almost  every  one  in  the  city  being  connected  with  the  brewing 
interests. 

What  became  of  the  Sabbatarian  church  tiiere,  we  do  not 
know. 

(4)       LEOMI.XSTER,     HEREFORD.SHIRE.        165O. 

That  a  Sabbath-keeping  church  was  in  existence  here,  and 
in  a  flourishing  condition  in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  is  stated  in  the  Biniiiiis^Jiaiii  Post  article  referring  to 
this  church  and  the  one  at  Burton.  This  church,  says  Ivimey, 
was  gathered  by  John  Toombs.  A  Mr.  Feak  (probably  Rob- 
ert) was  a  member;  as  was  also  Joseph  Stennett,  in  1719. 

It  is  hoped  that  some  record  of  this  society  may  yet  come  to 
light. 

(5)       HEXHAM,  NORTHUMBERLAND.       1652. 

Elder  Thomas  Tillam  was  pastor  of  a  church  at  Hexham, a 
market  town  on  the  Tyne  river,  twenty  miles  west  of  New- 
castle. There  was  certainly  such  a  Seventh-day  P.aptist  church 
here  as  early  as  1652.  which  became  extinct  before  1715. 
Ivimey  says,  the  Hexham  I^)aptist  Church,  organized  1652, 
was  the  first  Baptist  cinn-ch  in   N'orlluimborland. 


50  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

(6)       DORCHESTER,    DORSETSHIRE.       1652. 

Elder  W.  M.  Jones  mentions  that  Francis  Bampfield's 
London  church  sent  him  as  a  special  messenger  "to  the  Sab- 
bath churches  in  Wiltshire,  Hampshire,  Dorsetshire,  Glouces- 
tershire, and  Berkshire."  There  is  evidence  that  a  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  church  existed  in  Dorchester,  altho  we  kwow  but 
little  about  it. 

In  1645  ^  Baptist  church  of  fourteen  members  was  gather- 
ed in  Poole,  Dorsetshire,  by  Thomas  Collier.  This  is  supposed 
to  be  the  first  Baptist  church  in  this  county.  In  1655  Henry 
Jessey,  of  London,  a  first-day  Baptist  minister,  visited  the 
Sabbath-keeping  church  in  Dorchester;  and  mention  is  made 
of  another  meeting  there  in  1658. 

In  1689,  and  again  in  1692,  Thomas  Cox  attended  the 
meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  as  the  minister  of  the  church 
in  Dorchester.  But  as  to  when  this  church  was  founded,  or 
as  to  how  long  it  continued,  we  have  no  information. 

We  know,  however,  that  it  was  there,  and  can  only  mourn 
that  our  churches  have  been  so  negligent  in  keeping  and  hand- 
ing down  exact  and  complete  records  of  their  history.  Would 
that  existing  churches  might  now  learn  the  important  lesson. 

(7)       NORWICH,   NORFOLK.       1656. 

In  a  biography  of  Theophilus  Brabourne,  by  Rev.  Alex- 
ander Gordon,  M.  A.,  of  Manchester,  and  published  in  the 
Sabbath  Memorial  of  January  and  April,  1887,  the  following 
item  occurs : — "It  may  be  gathered  from  Brabourne's  will 
that  there  was  a  congregation  of  Sabbath-keepers  at  Norwich, 
and  to  this  flock  Brabourne  left  the  sum  of  ten  pounds,  to  be 
distributed  by  Mr.  Poolie,  one  of  the  elders." 

This  Mr.  Christopher  Poolie  was  probably  the  one  who  on 
Aug.  18,  1656,  re-baptized  Mrs.  Boote,  "at  the  staithe  in  the 
river,"  according  to  the  Beccles  Congregational  Church  Book. 
Mary  Gill,  also  of  Beccles,  "was  likewise  re-baptized  at  Nor- 
wich sometime  before  the  other." 

Here  then  was  a  church  of  baptized  believers.  Seventh-day 
Baptists,  organized  and  watched  over  by  Theophilus  Bra- 
bourne, who,  altho  a  minister  of  the  Established  Church,  wrote 
a  book  on  the  Sabbath,  and  suffered  much  for  this  truth.     This 


THE  SABBATH  IX  EXGLAXD.  5 1 

church  was  in  existence  in  1656,  but  must  have  been  gathered 
much  earher ;  but  of  its  beginning  we  are  in  ignorance. 

(8)       COLCHESTER,    ESSEX.       1657. 

Rev.  Thomas  Tiilam  was  pastor  of  a  Sabbatarian  church 
in  Colchester  as  early  as  1657.  In  that  year  he  wrote  a  book 
entitled,  "The  Seventh-day  Sabbath  sought  out  and  celebrated, 
or  the  Saints  last  Design  upon  the  man  of  sin."  On  page 
113  of  this  book  there  is  "A  hymn  celebrating  the  Lord's  Sab- 
bath, with  joyful  communion  in  the  Lord's  Supper  by  two  hun- 
dred disciples  at  Colchester,  in  profession  of  the  Law's  pre- 
cepts (Ex.  20)  and  the  Gospel's  principles  (Heb.  6.)" 

Although  we  know  but  little  about  Elder  Tiilam,  this 
church  is  evidence  enough  of  the  progress  of  Sabbatarian 
ideas,  and  the  steadfastness  of  their  defenders  even  in  those 
times  of  fierce  and  persistent  persecution. 

Elder  Jones,  in  "Jubilee  Papers,"  exults  greatly  over  the 
account  of  this  church,  as  we  all  well  may. 

(9)       BELL    LANE,    LONDOX^       1662. 

This  church  was  organized  about  the  year  1662,  according 
to  Benedict's  "History  of  the  Baptists,"  page  339.  It  was  in 
a  flourishing  condition  in  1668,  having  John  Belcher  as  pastor. 
In  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial,  (1-24),  may  be  found 
a  letter  from  this  church  to  the  Sabbath- keepers  of  Newport, 
New  England ;  it  is  dated  March  26.  1668,  and  signed  by  eleven 
brethren — among  whom  are  Edward  Fox,  William  Gibson, 
and  John  Belcher.  The  letter  breathes  a  most  pious  and  fra- 
ternal spirit.  On  page  26  of  the  same  publication  is  a  "Letter 
from  Dr.  Edward  Stennett  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church 
in  Bell  Lane,  London,  to  the  Sabbath-keepers  in  Rhode  Island ; 
dated  Abingdon,  Berkshire,  February  2,  1668." 

Toward  the  close  of  the  century  the  church  removed  to 
Pinner's  Hall,  meeting  there  one  part  of  the  Sabbath,  and  Elder 
Stennett's  church  the  other  part.  It  was  considered  highly 
desirable  by  both  parties  that  each  church  should  attend  the 
other's  meetings.  Elder  Belcher  died  in  1695,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Henry  Cooke;  during  this  time  the  church  was 
greatly  reduced  because  of  many  joining  Elder  Steimett's 
church.     At  Elder  Cooke's  death,    (in    1704,  or  possibly  not 


52  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

until  1707).  the  Bell  Lane  church  was  merged  with  Pinner's 
Hall  Church. 

(10)       DORCHESTER    JAIL,    DORSETSHIRE.       1 665. 

Elder  Jones  in  ''Jubilee  Papers,"  (page  i6),  speaks  of 
Francis  Bampfield  as  embracing  "the  Sabbath  and  baptism 
while  a  prisoner  in  Dorchester  jail,  where  he  had  converts  to 
these  views."  In  a  biography  of  Mr.  Bampfield  in  the  Sabbath 
Recorder  of  October  lo,  1844,  there  is  reference  to  his  "com- 
ing to  the  knowledge  of  the  weekly  Sabbath"  while  a  prisoner 
in  Dorchester  jail,  where  he  was  thrown,  being  one  of 
two  thousand  ministers  ejected  in  1662.  In  1665  a  brother  in 
the  country  wrote  asking  his  opinion  as  to  the  Sabbath.  This 
letter  was  laid  aside  until  a  second  was  received.  After  thor- 
ough investigation  of  both  Old  Testament  and  New  Testa- 
ment, he  saw  that  the  seventh-day  was  obligatory,  never  hav- 
ing been  annulled.  Several  of  his  fellow  prisoners  joined  with 
him  in  keeping  the  Sabbath  ;  and  thus  was  formed  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  church  in  Dorchester  jail,  w^here  ]\Ir.  Bampfield 
was  confined  for  eight  years,  sufl^ering  thus  for  conscience' 
sake. 

Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis,  in  "Sabbath  and  Sunday,"  quotes  from 
"Nonconformists  Memorial"  as  stating  that  Mr.  Bampfield 
"preached  in  the  prison,  almost  every  day,  and  gathered  a 
church  there."  Dr.  Armitage,  "History  of  Baptists,"  bears 
testimony  to  the  same  fact. 

(11)        WALLINGFORD,    BERKSHIRE.       1668. 

Reference  is  made  to  the  existence  of  this  church  in  the 
writings  of  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis,  Rev.  George  B.  Letter  and  Dr. 
W.  M.  Jones.  It  is  named  as  early  as  1706  in  the  will  of  Joseph 
Davis,  Sr.,  and  is  doubtless  one  of  the  five  or  more  churches  to 
which  Francis  Bampfield  was  sent  as  a  messenger  from  the 
Pinner's  Hall  church.  In  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial 
for  1852,  there  is  a  letter  from  Edward  Stennett  of  Walling- 
ford  to  the  Newport  (R.  I.)  church,  dated  February  2,  1668; 
and  there  is  evidence  that  this  church  was  in  existence  perhaps 
ten  vears  earlier  than  this. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  53 

(12)       SALISBURY,     WILTSHIRE.       1675. 

Several  writers  testify  to  the  existence  of  this  church.  It 
is  named  in  the  will  of  Joseph  Davis,  Sr.,  and  this  places  it  as 
early  as  1706. 

About  1671  or  '72,  Mr.  Bampfield  was  imprisoned  in  Sal- 
isbury jail;  and  here,  just  after  his  release  from  Dorchester 
jail  in  1671,  he  baptized  himself.  It  is  likely  that  this  may 
have  had  some  connection  with  the  beginning  of  a  Seventh-day 
Baptist  church  at  Salisbury.  It  is  said  of  J\Ir.  Bampfield, 
"Being  set  free  (from  Dorchester  jail),  he  formed  a  congre- 
gation at  Salisbury,  but  was  again  imprisoned  for  eighteen 
months."     This  was  in  the  Salisbury  jail. 

(  13)        pinner's    HALL.    BROAD    ST.,    LONDON.       1676. 

1.  Orgaiii::atioii,  oiid  creed.  This  church  was  gathered 
by  Francis  Bampfield  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II,  (1660- 1685), 
and  was  organized  as  a  church  March  5,  1676,  upon  two  great 
principles: —  "We  own  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  One 
and  Only  LORD  and  Lawgiver  to  our  Souls  and  Consciences. 
And  we  own  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  Truth  as  ye  One  and  Only 
Rule  of  Faith.  Worship,  and  Life,  according  to  which  we  are 
to  Judge  of  all  our  Cases."  This  creed  is  given  in  the  words 
of  Mr.  Bampfield,  and  attested  by  the  handwriting  of  his  suc- 
cessor, Joseph  Stennett. 

2.  Name  and  places  of  meeting.  There  has  been  some 
confusion  on  this  point,  but  all  is  made  clear  by  reference  to 
Mr.  Bampfield  and  the  record :  They  first  met  in  Mr.  Bamp- 
field's  house  in  Bethnal  Green,  and  then  at  his  home  in  Great 
Morefields ;  at  this  point  an  interesting  account  is  given  of  the 
choice  of  Pinner's  Mall  by  lot,  in  which  they  believed  them- 
selves to  be  divinely  guided — this  was  in  1681 ;  in  1727  they 
removed  to  Currier's  Hall,  Cripplcgate ;  to  Red  Cross  in  1800 ; 
to  Devonshire  Square  in  1812  ;  and  in  1827  they  removed  again, 
this  time  to  Eldon  Street,  which  they  occupied  until  1849. 
when  the  church  became  extinct.  This  church  never  owned 
any  meeting-place  of  its  own.  Eldon  Street  chapel  was  torn 
down  in   190T. 

3.  Pastors. 

J-rancis  Bampfield    i()7()-i()84 

Edward  Stennett    if>8()- 168«, 


54  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Joseph  Stennett   1690-1713 

Supplies   1713-1727 

Edmund  Townsend   1/27-1763 

Supplies   1763-1767 

Thomas  Whitewood 1767-1767 

Samuel  Stennett 1767-1785 

Robert  Burnside  . 1785-1826 

John  B.  Shenstone 1826-1844 

Francis  Bampfield  died  in  Newgate,  February  16.  1684; 
Edward  Stennett  remained  pastor  at  Wallingford  while  serv- 
ing Pinner's  Hall  church ;  Joseph  Stennett  began  his  pastorate 
January  4,  1690,  and  died  July  11,  1713;  Edmund  Townsend 
became  pastor  December  3,  1727 ;  Thomas  Whitewood  entered 
upon  the  pastorate  in  June  and  died  in  October  of  the  same 
year;  John  Brittain  Shenstone  became  pastor  June  26,  1826, 
and  died  on  Sunday  evening,  May  12,  1844,  at  the  age  of  about 
seventy  years ;  he  was  the  last  pastor.  Services  were  sustained 
for  awhile  after  his  death,  but  the  church  became  extinct  about 
five  years  after  Mr.  Shenstone's  death. 

4.  Membership.  After  Mr.  Bampfield's  death  the  church 
was  scattered  for  about  two  and  a  half  years;  but  on  the  14th 
of  October,  1686,  it  was  "reunited  as  the  church  formerly  gath- 
ered by  Mr.  Francis  Bampfield ;"  and  this  form  of  title  is  re- 
peated several  times  in  the  records.  At  this  time  the  church 
had  forty-two  members;  in  1690  it  had  fifty-five;  and  reached 
the  maximum  number  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  under 
Joseph  Stennett.     There  were  six  members  in  1823. 

The  following  record  stands  in  the  church  book: —  "The 
last  surviving  member  (Mrs.  Shenstone),  of  this  ancient  and 
honorable  Society  of  Sabbath-keeping  Christians  is  departed 
on  the  nth  of  October,  1863." 

(  14)       SHERBOURNE,     DORSETSHIRE.       1680. 

Sherbourne  is  seventeen  miles  from  Dorchester,  thirty- 
nine  miles  from  Salisbury,  and  a  hundred,  seventeen  and  a  half 
miles  from  London. 

Three  authorities  mention  Sherbourne  in  a  list  of  several 
churches  known  to  have  existed,  but  about  which  very  little 
information  can  be  obtained.  Dr.  Jones  refers  to  churches  in 
Wiltshire,   Hampshire.   Dorsetshire,   etc..   visited    by    Francis 


THE  SACBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  55 

Bampfield.  Mr.  Utter  places  Sherbonrne  in  Buckinghamshire ; 
but  as  there  is  now  no  such  place  in  this  county,  it  must  be  the 
one  in  Dorset,  notwithstanding  also  that  Cox  puts  it  in  Buck- 
inghamshire. 

Sherbourne  is  one  of  the  eight  churches  named  as  bene- 
ficiaries in  the  will  of  Joseph  Davis,  Sr. ;  it  therefore  dates  back 
at  least  as  far  as  1706.  There  is  evidence  that  a  Seventh-day 
Baptist  church  existed  here  as  early  as  1680;  and  if  this  was 
the  one  in  Dorsetshire  visited  by  Francis  Bampfield,  it  must 
have  been  in  existence  at  a  still  earlier  date.  Bampfield  was 
rector  at  Sherbourne,  from  which  he  was  ejected  in  1662  in 
consequence  of  the  Uniformity  Act ;  he  was  arrested  on  Friday, 
September  19,  1662,  and  imprisoned,  but  afterwards,  being 
released,  he  spent  several  years  in  Sherbourne. 

Ivimey,  ("History  of  English  Baptists"'),  says: —  '"Pos- 
sibly he  was  the  only  Seventh-day  Baptist  there."  Almost  an 
impossible  supposition ;  for  such  a  man  as  Francis  Bampfield. 
who  could  not  be  in  prison  without  forming  a  society,  would 
hardly  be  anywhere  outside  of  prison  ver}-  long  without  a  band 
of  followers.  Thank  God  for  such  a  man.  whose  name  will 
never  lose  its  heavenly  fragrance. 

(15)        HAMPSHIRE.       1680. 

We  can  simply  record  that  there  was  here  a  Seventh-day 
Baptist  church,  since  Francis  Bampfield  was  sent  by  his  Pin- 
ner's Hall  church  in  London  to  visit  a  society  of  like  faith  in 
this  county;  but  we  have  no  information  as  to  the  name  or 
exact  location  of  such  church.  It  is  but  one  of  many  concern- 
ing which  everything  has  perished  save  the  fact  of  its  past 
existence;  it  lived  and  did  its  work,  and  died.     (John  12:  24). 

( I C) )      I ;i<.\ I  \ TKEi-:,  i:ssEX .     1 706. 

Several  historians  recognize  the  existence  of  a  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  church  at  this  place  but  we  know  little  of  it,  except 
that  it  is  named  as  one  of  the  beneficiaries  of  the  will  of  Joseph 
Davis,  Sr.  It  was  therefore  in  existence  at  least  as  early  as 
1706. 

(17)        IUKKTSEV.    SrUKlA'.        1706. 

See  remark  under  l'>raintree. 


50  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

(l8)       NORWESTON^    OXFORDSHIRE.       1706. 

As  to  date,  see  remark  under  Braintree. 

This  was  North  Weston,  a  small  hamlet  of  but  a  few 
houses.  It  was  formerly  owned  by  the  Quartermains,  then  by 
the  Clarkes,  several  of  whom  represented  Oxford  in  Parlia- 
ment. About  1745  they  sold  it  to  Charles,  duke  of  Marlbor- 
ough. The  manor  house  was  converted  into  a  farm  house, 
and  at  one  time  used  as  a  school.  Near  it  was  a  chapel  which 
was  taken  down  about  1812 ;  and  this  was  probably  the  chapel 
used  by  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  of  Norweston. 

This  church  is  mentioned  in  the  will  of  Joseph  Davis,  Sr., 
1706.  In  1718,  Mill  Yard  voted  to  send  Pastor  John  Savage 
to  "Norwatson"  (July  6th).  The  Mill  Yard  pastors  went  out 
to  this  little  country  church  wdth  considerable  frequency. 

(19)   WOODBRIDGE,  SUFFOLK.   I706. 

What  is  said  under  Braintree  applies  to  this  church ;  the 
earliest  date  that  is  positively  fixed  is  1706,  altho  it  is  certain 
the  church  was  organized  years  before  that  time.* 

George  Carlow,  who  wrote  a  book,  "Truth  Defended," 
in  support  of  the  Bible  Sabbath.  (1724),  was  a  member  of  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  church  at  Woodbridge. 

(20)        MANCHESTER,    LANCASTERSHIRE.       I73O. 

Elder  W.  M.  Jones,  (Jubilee  Papers,  page  18).  mentions 
the  existence  of  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  at  this  place. 
The  Rev.  Alexander  Gordon,  who  wrote  a  life  of  Brabourne. 
was  a  resident  of  Manchester;  but  whether  a  Sabbath-keeper 
or  not,  we  do  not  know. 

For  the  above  date  we  refer  to  the  SabbafJi  Recorder  for 
June  25,  1846. 

Manchester  sent  a  Church  Letter  to  the  Baptist  Associa- 
tion, June   II,   1794. 

(21)       SWANZEV,    WALES.       I73O. 

See  "Elder  Wheaton"  in  biography,  page 


*  This  date  is  taken  from  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis's  "  History  of  Sabbath  and 
Sunday,"  p.  336.  The  Mill  Yard  Records,  under  date  of  "September  1st,  1706," 
give  the  following: —  "George  Carlow  of  Woodbridge,  in  Suffolk,  by  a  letter  of 
recommendation  from  the  church  he  belongs  to  in  the  countrie  was  admitted  a 
member  of  this  congregation  and  was  set  down  in  fellowship  at  the  next  Lord's 
Supper."  Shortly  afterwards  he  was  elected  a  Davis  Charity  trustee  and  so 
remained  all  his  life. 


THE  SABBATH  IX  ENGLAND.  ,  57 

(22)       PORT   BANNATYNE,   ISLE  OF  BUTE^   SCOTLAND.       l802. 

Our  attention  was  first  called  to  the  existence  (in  times 
past)  of  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  on  this  isle,  by  a  letter 
in  the  Sabbath  Recorder  of  February  20,  1890;  written  by  a 
Mr.  Joseph  La  Mont  of  Nortonville,  Kansas,  asking  for  infor- 
mation as  to  such  a  church,  and  stating  that  his  grandfather 
.(Archibald  LaMont)  and  his  grandmother,  who  came  to 
America  in  1809,  were  members  of  such  a  church  at  that  place. 
Mr.  C.  H.  Greene  addressed  a  letter  to  General  Campbell, 
Kames  Castle,  Isle  of  Bute ;  which  being  published  in  the 
"Rothesay  Express"  of  March  25,  1903,  has  brought  to  light 
fome  interesting  facts  in  letters  and  articles  published  in  the 
same  paper  since  that  date. 

1.  Location.  First,  it  may  be  well  to  note  its  position. 
Bute  is  a  small  island  of  31,161  acres  situated  in  the  Firth  of 
Clyde,  about  thirty  miles  from  Glasgow  and  one  mile  from 
lona.  famous  for  its  association  with  St.  Columba,  the  Sab- 
bath-keeping apostle  of  Scotland.  Bute  and  several  neighbor- 
ing islands  form  the  county  of  Bute,  with  Rothesay  as  the 
county  seat.  The  inhabitants  for  the  most  part  belong  to  the 
"Free  Kirk  of  Scotland." 

James  Moffat  in  "Church  in  Scotland"  says: —  "One  can 
not  resist  the  obtruding  conjecture  that  fond  hankerings  after 
the  earlier  faith  had  survived  thru  all  the  obscurity,  .... 
and  awakened  again  to  activity  in  the  warmth  and  light  of  the 
liberated  gospel"  of  the  Reformation.  With  this  thought  in 
mind,  and  considering  that  this  island  was  at  the  very  centre  of 
the  activities  of  the  Sabbath-keeping  Celtic  Church,  we  can 
scarce  resist  the  conjecture  that  here  some  remnants  of  the 
Seventh-day  Sabbath  have  survived  until  very  recent  years. 

2.  Constitution.  Archibald  La  Mont  a])iiears  to  have 
been  the  founder  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  here.  In 
1802  he  came  from  Hafton  and  settled  on  an  estate  at  Port 
Bannatyne.  According  to  the  testimony  of  his  grandson,  he 
was  a  Seventh-da\'  lUiptist.  On  the  ])ropert\'  which  he  bought 
he  built  a  spacious  residence,  fitting  up  one  room  as  a  chaix-i 
(seating  about  one  hundred  persons)  in  which  he  placed  a  pul- 
pit "of  the  same  design  as  the  one  then  in  St.  ( iiUs,  l-jjin- 
burgh."     The  house  is  now    ust-d  onl\    as  a  dwellinsj.  and   llir 


58  >  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS : 

person  who  occupies  it  writes,  that  "it  was  the  first  church  of 
any  kind  in  North  Bute ;"  and  he  adds,  that  "the  congregation 
originated  in  1802." 

'Sir.  La  ]Mont  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and  abihty,  and 
belonged  to  a  family  of  note,  several  members  of  which  held 
various  positions  of  prominence.  Whether  he  found  in  Bute 
any  of  his  belief  is  not  now  known,  but  sure  it  is  that  before 
the  year  closed  he  had  gathered  a  congregation  of  his  own 
faith.  Mr.  La  Mont  himself  does  not  seem  to  have  done  any 
preaching,  but  he  was,  it  is  said,  "a  great  supporter  of  Donald 
Macarthur." 

3.  Preaching.  Donald  Macarthur  seems  to  have  been 
in  the  beginning  a  Presbyterian,  but  was  converted  to  the  Bap- 
tist faith  about  the  year. 1800,  and  at  this  time  was  associated 
with  the  Haldanes.  He  is  said  to  have  become  a  Seventh-day 
Baptist  in  1802.  He  is  described  as  a  "lay-preacher"  of  burn- 
ing zeal  and  acceptability.  He  not  only  preached  in  the  chapel 
at  Port  Bannatyne,  but  all  over  the  regions  round  about,  wher- 
ever he  could  gather  an  audience.  He  was  "very  popular  wath 
his  followers,"  and  indeed  with  the  common  people  generally. 
Those  who  adhered  to  him  were  called  by  the  people,  "Mac- 
arthurites."  He  belonged  to  an  honorable  family  of  great  lon- 
gevity, and  "some  members  of  the  same  family  are  still  to  the 
fore  in  the  Loch  Striven  district." 

4.  Opposition.  Notwithstanding  Macarthur's  popular- 
ity, one  writer  says: —  "The  regular  church  people  at  that  time 
looked  askance  at  the  Macarthurites ;"  and  another  writes, 
"that  their  practices  were  disapproved  by  the  orthodox  of  the 
day."  As  a  matter  of  fact,  on  one  occasion  (Oct.  20,  1805), 
while  preaching  on  the  shore  at  Colintraive,  Mr.  Macarthur 
was  seized  by  a  colonel  and  three  constables  and  "pressed"  for 
the  Navy.  This  was  in  the  days  of  what  is  known  as  the  "press 
gang."  The  local  volunteers  who  were  ordered  to  seize  Mac- 
arthur greatly  disliked  the  duty  thrust  upon  them,  and  many 
refused  obedience ;  and  there  is  a  local  tradition  to  the  effect 
that  none  of  those  who  took  part  in  the  seizure  came  to  any 
good  thereafter,  but  all  suffered  violent  deaths. 

Thru  the  eft"orts  of  friends,  who  employed  eminent  attor- 
neys, Macarthur  was  released  November  2"/,  1805.     But  little 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  59 

is  known  of  his  labors  after  this ;  he  appears  to  have  emigrated 
to  Canada  in  1811  where  he  became  a  prosperous  farmer  and 
stock  raiser.     He  died  in  1850. 

Archibald  La  Mont  came  to  America  in  1809,  as  we  have 
already  noted ;  and  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  in  the 
Isle  of  Bute  we  have  no  trace  later  than  1840.  However,  their 
memory  has  not  perished,  nor  the  interest  of  residents  of  the 
locality — judging  by  the  newspaper  articles  and  letters  called 
out  by  Mr.  Greene's  letter  of  inquiry. 

(2^)       BIRMINGHAM,    NO.    I.       l822. 

Pastor,  Thomas  Wilson.     See  note  under  Tyrone. 

(24)       BIRMINGHAM,    NO.    2.       l822. 

Pastor,  James  Steward.     See  note  under  Tyrone. 

25)       LONDONDERRY,    IRELAND.       1 822 

Pastor,  William  Wilson.     See  note  under  Tyrone. 

(26)       TYRONE,    IRELAND.       l822. 

Pastor,  John  Buchanan.  i\ll  we  know  of  the  four  last- 
named  churches  is  found  on  page  168  of  Elder  James  Bailey's 
"History  of  Conference." 

In  1822  Elder  Eli  S.  Bailey,  who  was  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary of  the  General  Conference,  wrote  under  date  of  May 
5th,  the  following  letter  to  Robert  Burnside,  then  pastor  of  the 
Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  church :  "We  are  informed  by 
people  from  Europe,  that  there  are  two  Seventh-day  Baptist 
churches  in  Birmingham ;  the  pastors'  names  are  Thomas  Wil- 
son and  James  Steward.  And  that  there  are  two  in  Ireland: 
one  in  the  County  of  Londonderry.  William  Wilson,  pastor; 
another  in  the  County  of  Tyrone,  John  Buchanan,  pastor.  We 
wish  you  to  make  inquiry,  and  if  there  are  such  churches  in 
those  places,  give  us  information ;  and  inform  them  that  we 
wish  to  open  correspondence  with  them."  The  present  writer 
is  unable  to  say  whether  Elder  Burnside  ever  made  any  reply 
to  this  inquiry,  or  whether  he  even  made  any  search  into  the 
matter.  We  have  examined  several  of  his  subsequent  letters, 
but  found  no  reference  at  all  to  this  subject;  hence  we  judge 
he  never  found  time  or  opportunity  to  look  up  these  churches. 
So  far  as  we  have  any  evidence,  its  weight,  however  light,  is 
on  the  side  of  the  existence  of  the  churches  indicated.  In  a 
letter    from    Mr.   W.    O'Xcill,   deacon   of   Mill    "S'ard   church. 


6d  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

mention  is  made  of  "the  old  Birmingham  church  :"  and  he 
says  he  has  "heard  the  late  Dr.  Jones  speak  about  some  (Sab- 
bath-keepers) there  with  whom  he  used  to  correspond."  He 
adds  that  the  Seventh-day  Adventists  have  a  church  there 
now. 

(27)       BANAGHER,    KINGS    COUNTY,    IRELAND.       1825. 

There  seems  to  be  credible  evidence  that  a  Seventh-day 
Baptist  church  existed  here  as  late  as  1825.  but  as  to  its  origin 
and  history  we  know  but  little  as  yet.  For  many  years,  in  the 
family  of  Dr.  Phoebe  J.  B.  Wait,  there  were  two  domestics, 
sisters,  born  in  the  village  of  Banagher.  Kings  County,  Ireland, 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  Shannon.  Their  name  was  Donno- 
hew  (or  Donnahue),  and  from  them  we  have  the  following 
account : — 

"x\bout  the  year  1825.  there. came  to  Banagher  from  the 
north  of  Ireland  a  certain  Charles  IMonk,  who  was  a  Protestant 
and  a  Sabbath-keeper,  probably  also  a  preacher.  He  estab- 
lished a  school  to  fit  young  men  for  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 
Very  soon  he  gathered  about  him  a  little  band  of  Sabbath-keep- 
ers, who  met  for  regular  worship  in  the  chapel  of  ]\Ir.  Monk's 
Academy." 

One  of  the  converts  was  William  Buchanan,  one  of  the 
local  lords,  who  was  a  man  of  marked  individuality.  He.  with 
his  wife  and  family,  lived  in  a  large  stone  castle  on  one  side 
of  the  village;  and  it  was  a  source  of  diversion  to  the  children 
of  the  village  to  gather  of  a  Saturday  and  watch  him  drive 
by  in  his  fine  equipage,  with  gilded  harness  and  liveried  ser- 
vants, on  the  wa)-  to  church.  The  Alisses  Donnohew  often  saw 
both  these  men. 

(28)        WESTMANCOTE,   WORCESTERSHIRE.       1829. 

Westmancote  was  about  four  miles  from  Tewkesbury  in 
Gloucestershire.  In  1829  there  was  here  a  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist church,  with  Rev.  John  ]Miller  as  pastor,  and  an  elder. 
Rev.  John  Miles,  formerly  of  the  Establishment. 

In  the  Protestant  Sentinel  of  April  14,  1830.  is  published 
a  letter  to  Elder  Eli  S.  Bailey  from  Rev.  John  Miller,  dated 
August  20,  1829,  as  follows: —  "We  are  but  a  little  flock,  but 
there  is  that  sweet  'Fear  not'  addressed  to  us — 'Fear  not  little 
flock,'  etc.    We  have  lost  bv  death  two  members  belonging  to 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  6l 

the  Seventh-day  Sabbath,  within  these  few  months:  one  a 
female;  the  other,  the  Rev.  J-  Miles,  who  was  formerly  a  cler- 
gyman of  the  Establishment — a  middling  preacher,  but  very 
learned  in  Hebrew.  Greek,  Chaldee,  and  Latin." 

Deacon  John  Purser  of  Xatton  thinks  it  ceasetl  after 
awhile  to  be  a  Sabbath-keeping  church,  and  became  connected 
with  the  General  Baptist  Church,  possibly  about  the  year  1835. 

(29)       ST.    ASAPH,    Fr.INTSHIRK,    NORTH    WALES.       l85r. 

Mrs.  Tamar  Davis,  in  her  History  of  Sabbatarians,  (page 
129),  writing  in  185 1,  says: —  "I  have  been  informed  that  there 
is  at  this  time  a  small  society  of  Seventh-day  people  in  the  West 
part  of  England,  in  the  vicinity  of  St..  Asaph :  but  I  will  not 
vouch  for  the  accuracy  of  the  statement."  This  is  quoted  here 
in  hope  that  the  statement  may  lead  others  to  such  investigation 
as  may  result  in  interesting  and  valuable  information. 

(30)       GLASGOW,    SCOTLAND.       1 874. 

Elder  Nathan  Wardner  arrived  in  Glasgow,  June  23, 
1875  ;  and  on  October  7,  1875,  he  organized  here  a  Seventh-day 
Baptist  society. 

Elder  Jones,  in  "Sabbath  Memorial.''  says: —  "Besides  the 
churches  of  Natton  and  Mill  Yard,  there  is  now  a  Sabbath- 
meeting  establishment  in  Glasgow,  the  result  of  the  .Sabbath 
Conference  held  there  on  the  8th  of  October,  last." 

Persons  were  found  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  who  had 
embraced  the  Sabbath  ten  and  twenty  years  before,  without 
knowing  of  any  others  of  like  faith.  How  many  there  may  be 
still  who  are  waiting  for  some  one  to  gather  them  and  shep- 
herd them. 

(31)       BELFAST,    IRELAND.       1 876. 

Soon  after  Rev.  W.  M.  Jones  went  to  London  in  1872, 
there  developed  a  correspondence  with  lone  Sabbath-keepei  s 
which  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  decided  to  send 
over  Rev.  Nathan  Wardner  to  act  as  his  assistant.  Elder 
Wardner  went  to  Glasgow,  and  from  that  centre  began  to  send 
out  tracts  to  nearly  every  part  of  the  world.  As  a  result  man\ 
more  lone  Sabbath-keepers  were  discovered,  and  the  Haarlani, 
Holland,  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  was  organized. 

One  of  the  most  hopeful  centres  of  Sabbath  influence  was 
at   Belfast,   Ireland.     After  working  in   the   city  <if  Glasgow 


62  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

for  a  year  or  more,  Elder  Wardner  and  some  of  the  Glasgow 
friends  went  over  to  Belfast  and  organized  a  Seventh-da>'  Ba;j- 
tist  church  of  four  members.  Angus  Chism  and  Isaac  Hamp- 
den were  ordained  deacons,  and  Sarah  Courtenay  was  elected 
clerk.  The  church  prospered :  Elder  Wardner  was  quite  often 
called  to  Belfast  to  administer  baptism,  and  the  brethren  there 
were  enthusiastic  in  spreading  the  Sabbath  truth,  both  by  tract 
and  by  tongue. 

The  church  was  organized  January  31,  1876;  and  the 
membership  increased  to  nearly  one  dozen  communicants, 
while  the  Sabbath  congregations  were  from  sixty  to  one  hun- 
dred. 

About  the  year  1878,  the  Societies  in  America,  under 
whose  patronage  Elder  Wardner  was  laboring,  thought  best 
to  recall  him  to  America — altho  seemingly  the  interest  was 
never  more  encouraging  than  it  was  just  at  that  time. 

The  Belfast  brethren  reported  thru  the  Sabbath  Recorder 
with  considerable  regularity  up  to  1880;  after  that  we  hear 
nothing  more  of  them.  In  the  year  1896  and  1901  Mr.  C.  H. 
Greene  made  repeated  efforts  to  find  these  brethren.  In  1896 
he  learned  that  Angus  Chism  was  yet  alive,  but  he  was  miable 
to  get  an  answer  to  his  letters ;  and  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  Deacon  Chism  was  still  living  in  1901.* 

It  is  possible  that  the  Belfast  Seventh-day  Baptist  church 
lias  been  absorbed  by  the  Seventh-day  Adventists  who  came 
to  labor  in  Belfast  about  1879. 

(32)       SOUTHPORT,    LANCASTERSHIRE.       189O. 

In  the  Conference  Minutes  of  1890,  reference  is  made  by 
the  Secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society,  (Rev.  Dr.  Main),  to 
the  reported  existence  of  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  at 
Southport ;  nothing  further,  however,  has  been  discovered  con- 
cerning it.  It  is  hoped  this  notice  may  result  in  inquiry  and 
further  information. 

Here  we  close  our  history  of  Seventh-day  Bapt'st  churches 
in  the  British  Isles,  conscious  of  the  meagreness  of  the  accounts 
we  have  been  able  to  give  simply  because  of  the  poverty  of 


*  In  a  letter  received  from  Deacon  Chism,  since  the  above  was  written,  he  speaks 
of  "the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church,  which  meets  at  my  house."  We  infer  that 
Belfast  yet  maintains  a  name. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  63 

necessary  materials.  These  churches  (nearly  all  of  them) 
committed  the  mistake  which  multitudes  of  American  churches 
have  made  and  are  still  making- — that  of  failing  to  rtreparo  and 
preserve  complete  records  of  their  career. 

We  close  this  part  of  our  task  with  the  firm  conviction 
also  that  there  have  been  many  societies  and  churches  of  whicli 
we  know  nothing  with  sufficient  accurac}^  to  chronicle  any- 
thing whatsoever. 

There  is  evidence  that  all  over  England  there  have  been 
and  are  many  lone  Sabbath-keepers,  and  among  these  a  goodly 
number  of  ministers  of  the  Established  church,  who  reverently 
observe  the  Seventh-day  Sabbath  while  they  continue  to  serve 
their  congregations  in  the  Establishment. 

The  decline  of  Sabbath-keeping  churches  in  the  British 
Isles  naturally  awakens  thoughtful  inquiry  as  to  the  causes. 
Doubtless  there  have  been  reasons  of  which  we  are  in  ignor- 
ance ;  three  things,  however,  we  believe,  have  contributed  in  a 
measure  toward  this  result: —  i.  A  lack  of  organized  fellow- 
ship among  the  churches ;  2.  Dependence  upon  charitable 
bequests  developes  weakness  in  individuals  and  churches  as 
well ;  3.  Employment  of  First-day  pastors  must  necessarily 
blockade  all  aggressive  Sabbath  work. 

(B)  PROMINENT  ENGLISH  SEVENTH-DAY  BAP- 
TISTS: PREACHERS,  AUTHORS,  ETC. 
I.  Alsop,  Mrs.  Ann.  England  has  not  been  without  able 
women  in  the  ranks  of  Sabbath  defenders.  Among  these  we 
find  ]\Irs.  Ann  iVlsop,  a  member  of  the  Natton  vSeventh-day 
Baptist  Church.  The  Rev.  T.  Edmonds  published  ''iV  Scrip- 
tural Representation  of  the  Abolition  of  the  Fourth  Command- 
ment, as  far  as  it  relates  to  a  particular  day ;  and  a  \'indication 
of  their  conduct  who  observe  the  first  day  as  their  Sabbath." 
To  this  writing.  Mrs.  Alsop  replied,  in  i8or,  in  a  book  entitled, 
"Remarks  on  the  Rev.  T.  Edmond's  i)amphlct.  etc.,  and  an 
attempt  to  vindicate  their  conduct  who  observe  the  seventh- 
day  Sabbath  according  to  the  express  words  of  the  Fourth 
Commandment."  This  work  was  written  with  such  ability 
and  vigor  as  to  call  forth  a  reply  the  same  year  in  the  form  of 
"A  Further  Consideration  of  the  Arguments  of  the  Sabba- 
tarians."    Mrs.  Alsop's  defense  of  the  Sabbath  was  considered 


64  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

worthy  of  notice  by  Robert  Cox  in  his  "Literature  of  the  Sab- 
bath Question,"  vol.  II.,  p.  409. 

2.  Bailey,  NatJianacl.  Xathanael  Bailey  was  an  eminent 
English  philologist  and  lexicographer,  whose  "Universal  Ety- 
mological English  Dictionary,"  published  in  1721,  was  the  first 
English  dictionary  which  aimed  at  completeness.  His  work 
was  a  great  improvement  on  anything  of  the  kind  which  had 
preceded  it,  and  formed  the  real  basis  of  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson's 
great  work  published  in  1755.  Bailey  was  a  schoolteacher  near 
London,  and  the  author  of  several  educational  works,  among 
which  was  a  "Dictionarium  Domesticum."  He  was  a  worthy 
member  of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church.  He 
died  June  2^,  1742. 

3.  Bampfteld,  Francis.  Francis  Bampfield  descended 
from  a  distinguished  family  in  Devonshire,  England.  He  was 
born  in  1615,  the  third  son  of  James  (or  John)  Bampfield. 
His  brother  Thomas  was  at  one  time  Speaker  of  Parliament 
under  Cromwell.  In  his  i6th  year  he  became  a  student  in 
Wadham  College,  Oxford.  He  finished  his  course  in  College 
in  1638,  with  the  degree  of  AI.  A.  His  reputation  was  that  of 
a  "scholarly  man,  and  one  of  the  most  celebrated  preachers 
in  the  West  of  England."  He  prepared  for  the  ministry  of  the 
Established  Church,  and  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Hall, 
and  elder  by  Bishop  Skinner.  His  first  settlement  was  in  the 
parish  of  Rampisham,  Dorsetshire,  about  1640.  About  1653 
he  removed  to  the  parish  of  Sherborne,  and  remained  here 
until  ejected  by  the  Act  of  Conformity  in  1662.  He  could 
not  conscientiously  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  not  because  of 
any  disloyalty,  but  because  he  believed  all  oaths  to  be  in  viola- 
tion of  the  teachings  of  Jesus.  After  his  ejection,  he  preached 
in  his  own  hired  house  at  Sherborne  for  about  one  month,  when 
he  and  twenty-six  others  who  were  holding  a  meeting  were 
arrested  and  imprisoned  in  one  room  with  a  single  bed ;  they 
were  soon  released  on  bail.  Not  long  after  this  he  was  again 
arrested  and  put" in  Dorchester  jail,  where  he  spent  nearly  nine 
years  (from  1662  to  1671).  Here  he  preached  almost  daily; 
and  Armitage  says,  "he  not  only  preached  but  formed  a  church 
within  the  prison  walls."  This  was  a  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Church,  for  soon  after  entering  that  prison  he  embraced  the 

(4) 


natiian.\i:l  i'.aiU'Y. 

See    liiographical    Skctchrs,    p.   1361. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  65 

Sabbath  doctrine  and  that  of  beHever's  baptism.  After  a  short 
release,  he  was  imprisoned  in  SaHsbury  (Wiltshire)  for  about 
eighteen  months,  which,  he  says,  "filled  up  my  ten  days  of  trib- 
ulation in  the  letter  of  it — Rev.  2 :  10."  On  his  release  from 
Salisbury  prison  he  came  to  London  and  labored  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Bethnal  Green  in  the  East  of  London. 

A  few  Sabbath-keepers  met  with  him  in  his  own  house  for 
about  a  year,  and  on  March  5,  1676,  he  organized  a  church, 
which,  after  the  choice  by  lot  of  a  place  of  worship,  was  known 
as  Pinner's  Hall  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church.  The  reason  for 
this  separate  organization  was  in  the  fact  that  Mr.  Bampfield 
differed  from  the  Mill  Yard  Church  on  the  subject  of  Cal- 
vinism. 

From  London  he  was  sent  by  his  church  as  a  special  mes- 
senger "to  the  Sabbath  churches  in  Wiltshire,  Hampshire,  Dor- 
setshire, Gloucestershire,  and  Berkshire,  which  was  undertaken 
by  him,  and  prospered  with  desired  success,  the  report  whereof, 
at  his  return,  caused  joy  to  all  the  brethren  and  sisters  in  fel- 
lowship." He  and  his  church  sent  a  letter  of  "Brotherly  love," 
etc.,  to  all  Sabbath-keeping  churches,  including  those  of  Hol- 
land and  New  England.  He  also  wisel}'.  advocated  a  "Yearly 
]\Ieeting  of  all  Seventh-day  Baptist  Churches." 

Three  times,  while  preaching  in  Pinner's  Hall,  he  was 
arrested.  The  first  was  Dec.  17,  1682.  On  his  second  arrest, 
he  was  sent  to  Newgate  from  Dec.  24,  1682,  to  August  12, 
1683.  The  last  time,  as  he  was  led  thru  the  streets,  one  said, 
"See  how  he  walks  with  his  Bible  in  his  hand  like  one  of  the 
old  martyrs."  He  could  not  long  endure  the  cold  and  damp  of 
Newgate,  but  died  here,  Feb.  16,  1684,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
eight  years.  His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev. 
John  Collins,  a  fellow  prisoner ;  and  his  remains  were  interred 
in  the  burying  ground  of  the  P)aptist  Church  in  Glass-house 
Yard,  Goswell  street,  London. 

He  published  something  like  nine  or  ten  books,  which  was 
doing  well  considering  his  troubled  life,  and  his  constant 
preaching  in  prison  and  out.  Two  of  his  works  are  especially 
mentioned  in  Cox's  "Sabbath  Literature:" —  In  1672  he  pub- 
lished "The  Judgment  of  Mr.  Francis  Bampfield,  late  Min- 
ister of  Sherborne  in  Dorsetshire,  for  the  Observation  of  the 


66  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Jewish  or  seventh-day  Sabbath;  with  his  reasons  and  Scrip- 
tures for  the  same :  Sent  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Ben  of  Dorchester." 

In  1677  he  sent  forth  a  Httle  work  of  149  pages,  with  the 
title  in  both  Greek  and  Latin,  "The  Seventh-day  Sabbath  the 
Desirable  Day,"  etc. 

The  character  of  this  eminent  servant  of  God  was  remark- 
able for  purity,  generosity  and  devotion.  At  Rampisham  he 
spent  his  entire  income  from  the  Church  for  Bibles  and  relig- 
ious books  for  the  poor,  in  providing  work  for  those  able  to 
work,  and  in  giving  alms  to  those  who  could  not  labor.  He 
was  regarded  as  "above  all  things  a  living  servant  of  Jesus." 
The  frowns  and  smiles  of  men  were  vainly  used  to  turn  him 
from  his  Master.  Worldly  losses  and  bodily  suffering  appeared 
to  him  as  trifles  compared  to  the  supreme  felicity  of  a  con- 
science void  of  offense  before  God.  "He  was  a  giant  in  defense 
of  truth,  and  a  devout  man  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

4.  Bampiield,  Thomas.  Thomas  Bampfield  appears  less 
prominently  in  history  than  his  brother  Francis,  because  not 
involved  in  the  ecclesiastical  controversies  of  his  day,  as  was 
his  brother ;  but  he  was  not  less  eminent  in  his  profession,  that 
of  the  Law — having  been  the  last  Speaker  of  the  Common- 
wealth, in  1659.  Nor  was  he  less  able  as  a  defender  of  the 
Sabbath. 

It  is  supposed  probable  that  he  was  converted  to  the  Sab- 
bath thru  the  little  book,  "An  Appeal  to  the  Consciences  of 
the  Chief  Magistrates  of  this  Commonwealth  touching  the 
Sabbath-day,"  by  W.  Sailer  and  J.  Spittlehouse,  1657;  and  that 
he  was  the  means  of  the  conversion  of  his  brother  Francis. 

His  first  book,  "An  Enquiry  whether  the  Fourth  Com- 
mandment be  repealed  or  altered,"  appeared  in  1692,  and  was 
immediately  answered  by  John  Wallis,  D.  D.,  Professor  of 
Geometry  in  the  University  of  Oxford,  in  a  book  entitled,  "A 
Defence  of  the  Christian  Sabbath :  In  answer  to  a  treatise  of 
Mr.  Thomas  Bampfield  pleading  for  Saturday  Sabbath."  The 
next  year  Bampfield  issued  "A  reply  to  Dr.  Wallis,  his  Dis- 
course concerning  the  Christian  Sabbath ;"  to  which  Wallis 
rejoined  in  1694. 

Mr.  Bampfield  held  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Jehovah  of  the 
Old  Testament,   instituted  and   sanctified  the   Sabbath-day  in 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  67 

the  beg-inning.  before  the  fall  of  man ;  that  the  Sabbath  was  not 
only  a  seventh  day,  but  the  seventh  day,  and  was  so  to  continue 
as  long  as  the  world  lasts ;  that  the  Sabbath  was  binding  upon 
the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews,  and  that  it  w-as  always  to  begin 
at  sunset.  He  affirmed  that  the  Saturday-Sabbath  was 
observed  in  England  till  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.,  1537-1553, 
when  the  first  act  of  Parliament  for  the  'observance  of  the 
Lord's  Day  was  passed.  Mr.  Bampfield  also  contended  that 
public  worship  should  not  be  attended  more  than  once  on  the 
Sabbath  Day.  His  statement  as  to  the  observance  of  the  Sab- 
bath in  England  is  in  harmony  with  the  facts  of  history  as 
given  in  the  first  part  of  this  article.  During  the  time  he  was 
Recorder  of  Exeter,  he  voluntarily  devoted  the  income  pi  his 
office  to  the  poor  of  that  city.  He  was  born  in  1659  (possibly 
1654)  and  died  in  1693. 

5.  Begg,  James  A.  James  A.  Begg  was  born  in  Paisley, 
Scotland,  at  the  begining  of  the  nineteenth  century  and  died 
Jan.  3rd,  1869.  We  know  of  Mr.  Begg  thru  his  correspon- 
dence with  the  Sabbath  Recorder,  for  nearly  twenty-five  years. 
His  first  letter  to  Rev.  George  B.  Utter,  editor  of  the  Recorder, 
w^as  dated  at  35  Argyll  Arcade,  Glasgow,  Scotland,  April  ist, 
1845.  Elder  Utter  speaks  of  him  as  having  embraced  the 
Sabbath  a  dozen  years  before  that  date.  He  and  three  others 
were  baptized  at  Glasgow,  by  Elder  Joseph  W.  Morton  about 
1853- 

He  was  the  author  of  several  valuable  works  on  the  sub- 
ject of  prophecy,  and  was  a  staunch  defender  of  the  Sabbath, 
both  with  voice  and  pen.  Cox's  "Literature  of  the  Sabbath 
Question"  mentions  his  work  entitled,  "An  Examination  of 
the  Authority  for  the  Change  of  the  Weekly  Sabbath  at  The 
Resurrection  of  Christ;  Proving  that  the  practice  of  the 
church  in  substituting  the  First  day  of  the  week  for  the 
appointed  Seventh  day  is  unsanctioned  by  the  New  Testament 
Scriptures,"  by  James  A.  Begg.  Glasgow,  185 1.  This  book  is 
also  noticed  in  Kitto's  "Journal  of  Sacred  Literature"  for  Oct. 
1851.  These  notices  by  opponents  indicate  the  value  of  the 
work. 

In  the  Sabbath  Recorder  of  May  13  and  20,  1869.  is  a 
memorial  sermon  for  Mr.  Begg,  preached  by  \\'illiam  Fulton. 


68  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

His  text  was  Psa.  119:  97.  He  spoke:  ist,  of  his  love  for  the 
Bible ;  2nd,  What  he  believed  the  Bible  taught  respecting  the 
Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God ;  3d,  His  understanding  of  the  Bible 
in  relation  to  the  subject  of  prophecy;  4th,  His  view  oftheBible 
in  its  bearing  on  the  signs  of  the  times ;  5th,  The  preacher's 
knowledge  of  him  as  an  eminent  scholar,  and  a  true  man.  He 
stated  that  Mr.  Begg  kept  the  Sabbath  to  the  day  of  his  death. 

6.  Bekher,  John.  John  Belcher,  son  of  Rev.  William 
Belcher,  a  Puritan  preacher  of  London,  was  pastor  of  the  Bell 
Lane  (London)  Seventh  Day  church  as  early  as  1668,  when 
he  and  his  church  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Sabbath-keepers  of 
Newport,  New  England.  He  assisted  at  the  ordination  of 
Joseph  Stennett,  March  4,  1690,  at  Pinner's  Hall,  and  deliv- 
ered one  of  the  exhortations.  He  died  in  March,  1695,  and 
Joseph  Stennett  preached  his  funeral  sermon,  April  ist,  from 
2  Cor.  5  :  4,  under  the  title,  "The  groans  of  a  saint  under  the 
burden  of  a  mortal  body ;"  the  sermon  is  to  be  found  in  the 
"Life  and  Works  of  Joseph  Stennett,"  and  was  also  published 
separately  in  1695. 

7.  Black,  William  H.  Wm.  H.  Black  was  a  convert  to 
the  Sabbath,  who  began  to  keep  the  seventh-day,  Dec.  30, 
1837.  He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry,  Nov.  9,  1843,  by  the 
Rev.  J.  B.  Shenstone  and  five  others.  He  was  the  able  pastor 
of  the  Mill  Yard  Church  from  1840  to  his  death  in  1872.  Dr. 
Black  was  a  Fellow  of  the  Society  of  Antiquarians,  and  is 
referred  to  as  "the  learned  antiquary."  Robert  Cox  speaks  of 
him  as  "my  talented  antiquarian  friend  who  preaches  to  a  little 
family  on  the  Jewish  Sabbath." 

Dr.  Black  was  a  vigorous  defender  of  the  Sabbath,  pub- 
lishing periodicals  and  books  upon  the  subject.  In  1838-9  he 
sent  out,  "Doubts  on  the  authority  of  what  is  commonly  called 
the  Christian  Sabbath:"  "Thirty-two  reasons  for  keeping  holy 
the  seventh-day  of  the  week  as  the  true  and  only  Christian 
Sabbath;"  and  a  number  of  others.  In  1848-49-50,  he  pub- 
lished "The  scriptural  calendar  and  chronological  reformer." 
After  his  death  several  of  his  works  were  published  by  his 
son-in-law.  Dr.  Wm.  M.  Jones. 

8.  Boston,  Rev.  Thomas.  We  know  but  very  little  of 
Mr.  Boston,  but  the  little  we  know  entitles  him  to  mention  here. 


REV.   WILLIAM    lll-:NkN'    IM.ACK. 
See   Biograplvcal   Sketches,    p.  1361. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND,  69 

He  was  an  elder  of  the  Natton  Church  and  a  co-laborer  with 
Philip  Jones.  He  was  living  in  1694,  and  was  a  faithful  keeper 
and  defender  of  the  truth. 

9.  Brahournc,  Thcophilus.  Theophilus  Brabourne  was 
born  at  Norwich,  Norfolk,  in  1590;  for  he  writes  in  1654,  in 
his  answer  to  Cawdrey,  page  75,  "I  am  sixty-four  years  of 
age."  The  time  of  his  death  is  not  known,  but  he  was  living 
in  1 67 1,  which  would  make  him  over  eighty  years  old  at  that 
date. 

He  was  a  learned  minister  of  the  Established  Church,  but 
probably  founded  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  at  Norwich, 
of  which  he  was  pastor,  and  to  the  poor  of  which  he  willed  ten 
pounds.  Robert  Cox  says  of  him  that  he  was  "a  much  abler 
writer  than  Trask,  and  may  be  regarded  as  the  founder  in 
England  of  the  sect  at  first  known  as  Sabbatarians,  but  now 
calling  themselves  Seventh-day  Baptists." 

Between  the  years  1626  and  1659  he  published  four  books 
upon  the  Sabbath  question.  In  1628  appeared  the  first,  "A 
Discourse  upon  the  Sabbath-day,"  arguing  that  the  Lord's 
Day  is  not  the  Sabbath  by  Divine  Institution ;  but  that  the  Sev- 
enth-day Sabbath  is  now  in  force.  However,  he  exhorted  that 
"there  be  no  Rent  from  our  Church."  In  1630  he  issued  a 
more  complete  work,  of  which  a  second  edition  was  printed  in 
1632,  entitled,  "A  Defense  of  that  most  ancient  and  sacred  or- 
dinance of  God,  the  Sabbath  Day." 

Such  was  the  quality  of  this  work,  so  able  and  strong  its 
arguments,  that  the  King  appointed  one  of  his  most  talented 
bishops,  Francis  White,  to  answer  it ;  which  he  attempted  to  do 
in  "A  Treatise  on  the  Sabbath-day,  Containing  a  Defense  of 
the  Orthodoxal  Doctrine  of  the  Church  of  England,  against 
Sabbatarian  Novelty."  Also,  because  Mr.  Brabourne's  book 
was  considered  heretical  and  calculated  to  do  much  mischief, 
and  because  he  had  been  so  bold  as  to  dedicate  it  to  the  King 
(Charles  I)  himself,  he  was  summoned  before  the  Lord  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  and  the  Court  of  High  Commission, 
many  other  eminent  persons  being  present  at  his  trial.  Such 
arguments  and  persuasions  were  brought  to  bear  upon  him. 
that  for  the  moment  he  wavered,   signed  a   recantation,  and 


/O  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

returned  to  the  Church,  ''possibly  to  regain  his  hberty,  as  he 
appears  to  have  retained  his  views." 

In  1654  he  pubHshed  a  work  which  plainly  showed  that 
he  stood  firmly  by  the  Sabbath  of  the  Bible ;  and  whatever  may 
be  the  exact  facts  as  to  his  recantation,  so  called,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  "he  continued  to  maintain  that  if  the  Sabbatic  insti- 
tution was  indeed  moral  and  perpetually  binding,  then  his  con- 
clusion, that  the  seventh-day  of  the  week  ought  to  be  kept  as 
the  Sabbath,  was  necessary  and  irresistible." 

His  Sabbath  steadfastness  is  manifested  in  his  last  book, 
published  in  London  in  1659,  being  an  answer  to  two  books  on 
the  Sabbath:  one  by  Mr.  Ives,  entitled,  "Saturday  no  Sabbath 
Day ;"  and  the  other  by  Mr.  Warren,  "The  Jews'  Sabbath  Anti- 
quated." As  an  index  of  his  mental  vigor,  as  well  as  the 
strength  of  his  character,  we  may  give  his  own  words  as  con- 
tained in  the  preface  to  this  last  book : —  "The  soundness  and 
clearness  of  this  my  cause  giveth  me  good  hope  that  God  will 
enlighten  them  (the  magistrates)  with  it  and  so  incline  their 
hearts  unto  merc}'.  But  if  not,  since  I  verily  believe  and  know 
it  to  be  a  truth,  and  my  duty  not  to  smother  it,  and  suffer  it  to 
die  with  me,  I  have  adventured  to  publish  it  and  defend  it, 
saying  with  Queen  Esther,  'If  I  perish,  I  perish ;'  and  with  the 
Apostle  Paul,  'neither  is  my  life  dear  unto  me,  so  that  I  may 
fulfill  my  course  with  joy.'  What  a  corrosive  would  it  prove 
to  my  conscience,  on  my  deathbed,  to  call  to  mind  how  I  knew 
these  things  full  well,  but  would  not  reveal  them.  How  could 
I  say  with  St.  Paul,  that  I  had  revealed  the  whole  counsel  of 
God,  had  kept  nothing  back  which  was  profitable  ?  What  hope 
could  I  then  conceive  that  God  would  open  his  gate  of  mercy 
to  me,  who,  while  I  lived,  would  not  open  my  mouth  for 
him?" 

10.  Brcrcwood,  Edzuard.  Edward  Brerewood  was  a 
Professor  in  Gresham  College,  London,  who  died  in  161 3.  In 
161 1  he  wrote  a  book  entitled  "A  learned  Treatise  of  the  Sab- 
bath to  Mr.  Nicholas  Byfield,  preacher  in  Chester."  This  seems 
not  to  have  been  published  until  1630,  sometime  after  the 
author's  death.  He  maintained  that  the  Sabbath  was  a  part 
of  the  moral  law,  and  on  that  account  perpetual ;  and  defied 
Mr.  Byfield  to  prove  his  assertion  that  the  Sabbath  had  been 


THE  SABBATH  IN  EXGLAXD.  yi 

"translated  by  the  same  authority  that  originally  at  first  com- 
manded it."  He  referred  to  the  fact  that  for  centuries  after 
Christ  the  seventh-day  alone  was  ever  called  the  Sabbath,  as 
disproving  Mr.  Byfield's  assumption  that  Christ  referred  to  the 
first  day  and  not  the  seventh  in  his  injunction  to  his  disciples 
to  pray  that  their  flight  might  not  be  on  the  Sabbath-da}',  when 
Jerusalem  should  be  invested  by  her  enemies. 

Mr.  Brerewood  wrote  "A  Second  Treatise  of  the  Sabbath, 
or  an  Explication  of  the  Fourth  Commandment,''  which  was 
published  in  1632.  In  this  he  critically  examined  the  Fourth 
Commandment,  and  maintained  the  view  that  altho  "the  cele- 
bration of  the  Lord's  day  hath  warrant  of  apostolic  example 
that  it  may  be  done,  warrant  of  commandment  it  hath  not, 
that  it  must  be  done." 

A  Life  of  Mr.  Brerewood  may  be  found  in  \\'ard's  "Lives 
of  the  Professors  of  Gresham  College." 

He  was  a  man  of  ability  and  influence,  and  a  staunch 
defender  of  the  Bible  Sabbath.  He  was  born  in  1565  and  died 
Nov.  14,  1613. 

11.  Broad,  Thomas.  Thomas  Broad  was  born  in  1577 
and  died  in  1639.  Iii  162 1,  he  published  "Three 
Sabbath  Questions,"  a  work  which  led  Brabourne  to 
investigate  the  subject.  The  three  questions  were:  ist. 
What  should  our  meaning  be,  when,  after  the  read- 
ing of  the  fourth  commandment,  we  pray.  Lord,  incline  our 
hearts  to  keep  this  law  ?  Second,  How  shall  the  Fourth  Com- 
mandment, being  delivered  in  such  form  of  words,  bind  us  to 
sanctify  any  day  but  only  the  Seventh,  the  da}-  wherein  God 
rested,  and  which  the  Jews  sanctified?  Third,  How  shall  it 
appear  to  be  a  law  of  nature  to  sanctify  one  day  in  every  week? 

12.  Burnsidc,  Robert.  Robert  Burnside  belonged  to  a 
Sabbath-keeping  family,  and  himself  became  a  member  of  the 
church  in  1776.  He  was  educated  for  the  ministry  at  Maris- 
chal  College,  Aberdeen,  and  became  pastor  of  the  Pinner's  Hall 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  (London)  in  1785.  and  continued 
in  this  position  until  his  death  in  1826.  Much  of  his  time  was 
devoted  to  instructing  the  children  in  families  of  wealth  and 
position.  In  1805  he  published  "Fruits  of  the  Spirit;"  and  in 
1819,  "Religions  of  ^Mankind,"  in  two  volumes  8  vo.     In   1825 


^2  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

he  sent  out  a  work  of  354  pag^cs,  entitled,  "Remarks  on  the  Dif- 
ferent Sentiments  entertained  in  Christendom  relative  to  the 
Weekly  Sabbath."  This  book  contained  thirteen  chapters  on 
the  nature,  the  obligation,  the  antiquity,  the  commencement 
and  termination,  and  the  supposed  repeal  of  the  weekly  Sab- 
bath, etc.,  etc.  Robert  Cox  says : —  "The  work  is  a  calm,  clear, 
and  ample  statement  of  the  g^rounds  on  which  this  sect  of 
Christians  keep  Saturday  as  the  Sabbath,  and  maintain  that 
all  who  believe  in  a  primeval  Sabbath-law  and  in  the  universal 
and  perpetual  obligation  of  the  Decalogue  are  bound  to  do 
the  like." 

13.  Carlozv,  George.  George  Carlow  was  a  member  of 
the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  at  Woodbridge,  Suffolk.  On 
going  to  London,  possibly  to  see  to  the  publication  of  a  book, 
he  took  a  letter  of  commendation  to  the  Mill  Yard  Church; 
hence  his  name  appears  upon  the  record  of  that  church  as  a 
"transient  member."  His  book  was  published  in  1724,  with  the 
title: —  "Truth  defended,  or  Observations  on  Mr.  Ward's 
expository  discourses  from  the  8th,  9th,  loth,  and  nth  verses 
of  the  20th  chapter  of  Exodus,  concerning  the  Sabbath."  The 
book  was  re-published  at  Stonington,  Conn.,  in  1802  ;  and.  later, 
by  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  of  New  York.  "The 
whole  work  is  characterized  by  a  spirit  of  evangelical  piety  and 
earnestness  which  must  make  its  influence  powerful  and  sal- 
utary wherever  read."  Mr.  Carlow  is  described  as  a  plain  man, 
not  schooled  in  logic,  but  learned  in  the  Scriptures. 

14.  Chamherlen,  Dr.  Peter.  Dr.  Chamberlen  was  l.)orn 
in  1601,  baptized  in  1648,  began  keeping  the  Sabbath  about 
1651,  and  died  in  1683.  The  termination  of  his  name  is  vari- 
ously given,  as  lain,  laine,  lane,  layne.  Ion.  He  wrote  from 
.1642  to  1662  on  medical  and  scientific  subjects,  and  on  the  Sab- 
bath and  baptism.  He  has  been  regarded  as  the  pastor  of  Mill 
Yard  Church  from  165 1  to  the  time  of  his  death;  but  whether 
he  or  the  martyr,  John  James,  gathered  this  church,  is  uncer- 
tain. He  appears  as  the  leader  of  the  Whitchapel  Congregation 
(the  precursor  of  Mill  Yard)  in  1653,  (Nov.  6.) 

Dr.  Chamberlen  was  a  graduate  of  Immanuel  College, 
Cambridge,  studied  medicine  and  surgcr}'  at  Heidelberg  and 
Padua,  and  became  senior  doctor  of  both  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge, and  was  physician  to  three  ]^)ritish  Sovereigns. 


RMV.  PETKR  chamh1':rli-:n.  M.  I). 

See    Biogra/^hiial    Sketches,    p.    1361. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  EXGLAXD.  73 

He  was  not  only  a  voluminous  writer  on  the  Sabbath  ques- 
tion, but  appears  also  as  a  co-operator  with  Coppinger  (one  of 
Trask's  followers),  and  Thomas  Tillam,  in  a  Sabbath  discus- 
sion against  Jeremiah  Ives. 

15.  Cooke,  Henry.  Henry  Cooke  succeeded  John  Bel- 
cher as  pastor  of  Bell  Lane  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church,  Lon- 
don, in  ^larch,  1695.  At  the  death  of  Cooke,  the  Church 
merged  with  Pinner's  Hall.  J\Ir.  Cooke  was  alive  in  London 
in  1704,  as  he  is  known  to  have  preached  and  published  a  ser- 
mon that  year. 

As  he  is  said  to  have  died  August  2,  (New  Style,  August 
13)  1704,  at  Hochstadt,  Germany,  near  which  the  battle  of 
Bleinheim  was  fought  on  that  date,  it  was  thought  he  might 
have  been  chaplain  or  soldier  in  the  British  Army,  and  that  he 
was  killed  in  that  action ;  but  as  he  is  mentioned  in  Joseph 
Davis'  will,  made  in  1706.  and  as  his  own  will  is  said  to  have 
been  proven  in  1707,  he  must  have  died  that  year. 

16.  Coppinger,  Rev.  Matthew.  We  know  but  little  con- 
cerning iMr.  Coppinger,  but  that  little  is  connected  with  his 
brave  defense  of  the  Sabbath.  In  1659,  he  was  associated  with 
L')r.  Chamberlen  and  Thomas  Tillam  in  a  Sabbath  discussion 
against  Jeremiah  Ives.  He  is  mentioned  by  Gilfillan  as  one 
among  others  who  "contended  for  the  perpetuit}-  of  the  Sev- 
enth-day Sabbath  against  the  Christian  world." 

17.  Cornthzvaife,  Robert.  Robert  Cornthwaite  was  born 
in  Bolton,  near  Lancaster,  in  1696.  He  was  first  a  Presby- 
terian, altho  his  parents  were  members  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. His  first  settlement  was  at  Chesham.  in  Buckingham- 
shire, where  he  changed  his  views  regarding  baptism  and 
began  to  preach  to  a  Baptist  congregation  near  Boston  in  Lin- 
colnshire;  here  he  remained  about  one  year.  He  then  went  to 
London,  where  he  met  the  Sabbath  question,  and  became  con- 
vinced as  to  the  sound  Scriptural  position  of  the  Seventh-day 
Baptists;  this  was  in  1726,  and  the  same  year  he  became  pastor 
of  the  Mill  Yard  Church,  remaining  such  until  his  death,  April 
19.  1755.  in  his  fifty-ninth  year.  i\Ir.  Daniel  Noble,  his  pupil 
and  successor,  preached  his  funeral  sermon. 

He  was  "faithful   and  assiduous  in  the  discharge  of  his 


74  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

ministerial  duties."  His  publications  were  devoted  mainly  to 
the  Sabbath ;  six  works  to  this  effect  are  still  extant : — 

"Reflections  on  Dr.  Wright's  Observation  on  the  Lord's- 
day,"  etc.     1729. 

"The  Seventh-day  of  the  Week  the  Christian  Sabbath." 

1735- 

"The  Seventh-day  Farther  Vindicated,  an  answer  to  Dr. 
WTight."     1736. 

"A  Second  Defense  of  Some  Reflections  on  Wright's 
Treatise,"  etc.     1736. 

"An  Essay  on  the  Sabbath."     1740. 

"Mr.  Foster's  Sermon  on  the  Sabbath,  examined  with 
candor."     1745. 

Dr.  W.  M.  Jones  speaks  of  these  as  "thoroughly  convinc- 
ing on  the  Sabbath  question."  And  Robert  Cox,  in  Sabbath 
Literature,  says : —  "Mr.  Cornthwaite  is  one  of  the  ablest 
defenders  of  the  positions  taken  up  by  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists ;"'  and  quotes  quite  at  length  from  one  of  his  works.  His 
books  were  of  a  controversial  character,  had  an  extensive  cir- 
culation, and  called  forth  replies  from  some  of  the  most  emi- 
nent men  of  his  time. 

18.  Cowell,  John.  During  the  licentiate  of  John  Purser, 
John  Cowell  was  the  chief  preacher  at  the  Natton  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Church.  Elder  Cowell  began  to  keep  the  Sabbath 
"about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1661,"  but  in  1671  he  returned 
to  the  first-day  and  gave  his  reasons  for  so  doing  in  a  book 
entitled,  "The  Snare  Broken,"  published  in  1677.  ]\Irs.  Tamar 
Davis  says : —  "Mr.  Cowell  appears  to  have  been  rather  waver- 
ing and  unstable,  but  withal  a  pious  and  well-meaning  man." 
The  Natton  Church,  of  which  he  was  pastor,  seems  to  have 
been  composed  of  both  first-day  and  seventh-day  observers 
until  after  his  death  in  1680. 

19.  Davis,  Joseph,  Si'.  Joseph  Davis,  Sr.,  son  of  John 
Davis,  was  born  in  1627.  In  1646  he  was  apprenticed  for  nine 
years.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time,  in  1655,  he  was  married. 
Sometime  before  this  event,  just  how  long  we  cannot  teil,  he 
began  keeping  the  Bible  Sabbath ;  and  was  probably  a  member 
of  the  Mill  Yard  Church  at  the  time  of  the  martyrdom  of  John 
James.  His  own  brave  defense  of  the  Bible  Sabbath  and 'Bible 
trutli   l)ronght   upon  him   severe  persecutions   which   he  bore 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  75 

witli  meekness  and  fortitude.  He  was  first  imprisoned  for  a 
few  days,  and  about  the  time  of  the  suffering  of  'Mv.  James, 
in  1661,  he  was  confined  for  some  weeks  or  months.  In  1662 
he  was  imprisoned  in  Oxford  Castle  where  he  remained,  (with 
the  exception  of  a  short  respite  to  visit  his  dying  wife  in  1665), 
until  released  by  Charles  II,  in  1672,  with  John  Bunyan  and 
four  hundred  eighty-nine  others.  While  in  prison  for  the 
truth's  sake,  January  26,  1670,  from  a  "cold  high  tOAver"  in 
Oxford  Castle,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Sabbath-keepers  in 
Newport,  R.  I.,  which  is  characterized  by  a  sweet  and  most 
devout  spirit,  indicating  a  man  of  superior  mind  and  exalted 
piety.  The  letter  is  published  in  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Memorial,  vol.  i.  page  74;  and  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder  for 
August  8,  1844. 

After  his  release  from  Oxford  jail,  he  went  to  London 
and  prospered  in  the  business  of  a  linen  draper.  In  1691  he 
purchased  the  Mill  Yard  property,  and  erected  a  chapel  and 
other  buildings.  In  1700  this  property  was  conveyed  by  him 
to  trustees  chosen  by  the  church.  In  his  will,  made  in  1706, 
he  bequeathed  his  property  to  his  son,  Joseph  Davis,  Jr.,  pro- 
viding for  an  annual  payment,  for  ministerial  support,  to  Mill 
Yard  and  seven  other  Seventh-day  Baptist  Churches  then  in 
existence ;  and  so  conditioned  his  will  that,  on  the  death  of  his 
son,  the  Mill  Yard  Church  came  into  possession  of  his  entire 
property.  This  property  yielded  an  income  of  six  hundred 
pounds  in  1880;  and  in  1902,  the  income  was  more  than  seven 
hundred  pounds.  So  rich  a  legacy  has  so  excited  the  cupidity 
of  the  enemies  of  the  Sabbath,  that  by  some  scheming  it  has 
been  diverted  from  the  purpose  of  this  noble  benefactor. 

Mr.  Davis  died  February  16,  1707;  and  is  justly  character- 
ized by  Dr.  Wm.  M.  Jones  as  a  "man  of  influence,  sound  judg- 
ment, and  ardent  piety."    Ivimey  says  he  was  an  elder. 

20.  Dazvson,  Henry.  Rev.  Henry  Dawson  was  formerly 
of  London,  but  came  to  America  in  1767.  Gilfillan  mentions 
him  in  a  list  of  twenty-four  with  Matthew  Coppinger.  On 
coming  to  America  he  seems  to  have  been  fellowshipped  by 
the  first-day  Baptists  until  found  to  be  keeping  the  seventh-day 
Sabbath.  In  the  Minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Associa- 
tion for  1773,  he  is  spoken  of  with  commendation.  From  New- 
port, R.  I.,  he  went  to  Trenton,  N.  J.,  where  he  was  residing 


76  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

in  1774,  and  conducting  revival  meeting's  witii  the  Shrewsbury, 
N.  ].,  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church;  there  is  no  record,  how- 
ever, to  indicate  that  he  was  a  member  of  this  church.  He 
was  ahve  as  late  as  1777,  and  probably  still  at  Trenton.  The 
date  of  his  death  we  do  not  know. 

In  1776  Mr.  Dawson  published  "A  short  essay  on  Rev. 
1 :  10,  showing  the  Lord's  day  means  the  real  and  perpetual 
Sabbath;"  and  in  1777,  'The  Genuine  Sabbath.  Commonly 
called  Saturday,  Vindicated." 

21.  Elwall,  Edward.  Edward  El  wall  was  born  Novem- 
ber 9,  1676,  and  died  November  29,  1744.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church,  and  w^as  one 
of  the  very  first  in  England  to  advocate  "Disestablishment," 
or  separation  of  Church  and  State.  In  1728  he  published  a 
tract,  "The  True  and  Sure  Way  to  Remove  Hirelings  out  of 
the  Church ;'"  in  this  he  wrote : —  "As  Christ  has  declared  that 
his  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,  so  there  never  ought  to  be 
any  worldly  force  to  bring  men  into  it,  nor  any  forced  main- 
tenance to  support  it.  All  must  be  free  and  not  forced.  We 
read  of  Christ's  whipping  the  buyers  and  sellers  out,  but  never 
in.  All  Christ's  followers  must  be  volunteers, — he  calls  and 
they  follow."     (See  Recorder  for  January  28,  1886). 

As  an  evidence  of  his  Sabbath-keeping,  he  was  known 
among  the  common  people  of  Wolverhampton  by  the  name  of 
"Jew  Elwall."  (See  Jones'  "The  Sabbath  Memorial"  for 
April,  1881,  page  241). 

In  1727  he  published  "True  Testimony  for  God  and  for 
His  Sacred  Law ;  being  a  plain  and  honest  defense  of  the 
Fourth  Commandment  of  God.  An  Answer  to  a  Treatise  on 
the  Religious  observance  of  the  Lord's-day."  This  book  passed 
thru  several  editions.  In  it,  says  Dr.  Wm.  M.  Jones.  "Elwall 
launches  swift  darts  against  the  papal  pagan  Sunday,  and 
defends  the   Sabbath  with  great  earnestness  and   solemnity." 

22.  Fox,  John.  We  can  gather  but  little  information  con- 
cerning John  Fox,  but  such  as  we  have  indicates  that  he  was  a 
vigorous  defender  of  the  Bible  Sabbath.  John  Cowell,  who 
kept  the  Sabbath  for  ten  years  and  then  gave  it  up.  in  his 
"The  Snare  Broken,"  published  in  1677,  speaking  of  his  asso- 
ciate Sabbath-keepers  in  1664,  sa3"s: —  "And  for  many  of  the 
persons  concerned,  they  w^ere  no  small  ones  either  amongst 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  77 

that  people,  as  Thomas  Tillam,  Christopher  Pooley,  Edward 
Skipp,  John  Fox,"  etc.  Thus  we  find  Fox  classed  with  doughty 
champions  of  the  Bible  Sabbath.  We  can  but  regret  that  we 
have  no  other  records  concerning  him. 

22-  Fryth,  John.  John  Fryth,  (or  Frith),  was  a  man  of 
learning  and  influence  who  assisted  William  Tyndale  in  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptures.  Frith  was  born  in  1503.  and  mar- 
tyred in  1533.  He  has  been  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  very 
earliest  "Sabbatarian  Baptists"  to  be  found  in  England ;  but 
he  was  scarcely  such,  altho  he  uttered  sentiments  worthy  of  a 
defender  of  Sabbath  truth.  He  wrote : —  "The  Jews  have  the 
Word  of  God  for  their  Saturday.  Sith  It  is  the  Seventh  Day 
and  they  were  commanded  to  keep  the  Seventh  Day  solemn. 
And  we  have  not  the  word  of  God  for  us,  but  rather  against 
us ;  for  we  keep  not  the  Seventh  Day  as  the  Jews  do,  but  the 
First,  which  is  not  commanded  by  God's  law\"  Thus  Mr. 
Fryth  became  a  true  witness  for  the  Bible  Sabbath. 

24.  Gadhnvy,  Judah.  Mr.  Gadbury  appears  as  early  as 
1673  to  have  been  an  elder  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church.  He 
was  one  of  the  original  nine  trustees  of  the  Mill  Yard  prop- 
erty given  to  the  church  by  Joseph  Davis,  Sr.  He  was  associat- 
ed with  Joseph  Davis,  Sr.,  and  several  entries  in  the  church 
records  were  made  by  him.     He  died  about  July  31st,  1734. 

25.  Hcbdcji,    .     Mr.    Ephraim    Paggitt   in    his 

"Herisography,"  London,  1661,  speaks  of  "one  Mr.  Hebden, 
a  prisoner  in  the  new  prison,  that  lay  there  for  holding  Sat- 
urday Sabbath."  This  is  all  we  know  of  him  ;  but  from  this 
we  know  that  he  was  a  sufiferer  for  the  truth—brave  and  true. 

26.  Hubbard,  Thomas.  Thomas  Hubbard  is  not  known 
to  have  been  a  Sabbath-keeper,  but  for  the  truth's  sake  he  was 
burned  at  the  stake,  ]\Iarch  26,  1555,  in  the  reign  of  Bloody 
Mary,  Queen  of  England.  We  refer  to  him  here  because  he 
was  the  ancestor  of  Samuel  Hubbard,  one  of  the  seven  who 
united  to  form  the  first  Seventh-day  Baptist  Churcli  in  Amer- 
ica, at  Newport,  R.  T. 

2"/.  Jackson,  Haiiilcf.  When  John  Trask  came  from 
Salisbury  to  London  in  161 7,  and  held  revival  meetings,  Ham- 
let Jackson  became  one  of  his  disciples ;  and  was  afterward 
the  means  of  bringing  him  and  others  to  the  observance  of  the 


/S  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

seventh-clay   Sabbath — thus   forming  the  nucleus  of  the  Mill 
Yard  Church.     Jackson  was  an  ordained  evangelist. 

28.  James,  John.  Rev.  John  James  was  one  of  the  first, 
if  not  the  first,  pastor  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  wor- 
shipping in  Bull  Stake  Alley,  Whitechapel  Road,  London, 
(since  known  as  the  Mill  Yard  Church).  He  was  born  of  poor 
parents,  and  became  a  ribbon  weaver,  afterwards  a  small  coal 
man ;  but  finding  this  business  too  much  for  his  health,  he 
returned  to  ribbon  weaving.  Sabbath-day,  October  19,  1661, 
while  preaching  to  his  people  at  their  meeting  place,  he  was 
twice  rudely  interrupted  by  officers  of  the  law  and  commanded 
to  come  down.  He  was  then  dragged  out  of  his  pulpit.  The 
charge  of  uttering  treasonable  words  against  the  king  was 
made  by  a  journeyman  tobacco-pipe  maker,  named  Tipler ; 
but  so  disreputable  a  person  was  Tipler  that  the  justice  refused 
to  commit  Mr.  James  on  his  testimony  unless  it  was  corrobor- 
ated ;  this  was  done,  and  the  good  pastor  was  sent  to  Newgate 
prison.  On  the  14th  of  November  he  was  brought  before 
Chief  Justice  Forster,  and  three  other  judges,  at  Westminster 
Hall,  where  he  was  charged  with  "endeavoring  to  levy  war 
against  the  king,  with  seeking  a  change  in  government,  with 
saying  that  the  king  was  a  bloody  tyrant,  a  blood  sucker  and 
a  bloodthirsty  man,  and  that  his  nobles  were  the  same ;  and  that 
the  king  and  his  nobles  had  shed  the  blood  of  the  saints  at 
Charing  Cross,  and  in  Scotland."  But  there  was  no  show  of 
evidence  to  substantiate  any  of  the  charges.  Mr.  James  was 
remanded  to  Newgate  for  four  days,  when  his  trial  came  off. 
Previous  to  this  he  received  a  letter  from  a  friend  of  distinc- 
tion, informing  him  that  for  many  years  there  had  not  been 
such  efforts  to  pack  a  jury,  and  that  his  only  hope  of  safety  lay 
in  challenging  them,  or  "most  of  the  chief  men  of  them." 
When  Mr.  James  was  brought  into  court,  the  chief  justice 
exclaimed,  "Oh,  Oh,  are  you  come?"  and  this  was  a  specimen 
of  the  way  in  which  his  trial  was  conducted.  He  was  con- 
demned in  accordance  with  the  plot  of  those  who  planned  his 
murder,  and  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged  at  Tyburn,  near  Hyde 
Park,  and  while  still  alive  to  have  his  entrails  drawn  and  his 
heart  taken  out  and  burned ;  his  head  to  be  taken  off  and  placed 
first  on  London  Bridge,  and  afterward  set  up  on  a  pole  in 
Whitechapel  Road  opposite  to  the  meeting  place  in  Bull  Stake 


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THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  79 

Alley ;  his  body  to  be  cut  in  quarters  and  placed  on  four  of  the 
seven  gates  of  the  city.  The  next  day  after  sentence  was  pro- 
nounced against  him,  his  wife  presented  a  petition  to  King 
Charles  II,  proving  his  innocence  and  appealing  for  mercv; 
but  the  only  reply  of  his  majesty  was,  "Oh !  Mr.  James,  he  is 
sweet  gentleman!''  and  the  door  was  shut  against  her.  The 
next  morning  she  made  another  appeal  to  the  King,  and  his 
cruel  response  was,  "He  is  a  rogue,  and  shall  be  hanged." 
When  asked  if  he  had  anything  to  say  why  sentence  of  death 
should  not  pronounced  against  him,  he  answered: —  "As  for 
me,  behold,  I  am  in  your  hands :  do  with  me  as  it  seemeth  good 
and  meet  unto  you.  But  know  ye  for  certain  that  if  ye  put  me 
to  death,  ye  shall  surely  bring  innocent  blood  upon  yourselves, 
and  upon  this  city,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  thereof.  Pre- 
cious in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his  saints.  He  that 
toucheth  you  toucheth  the  apple  of  mine  eye."  And  when  Mr. 
James  heard  his  sentence,  he  immediately  added,  "Blessed  be 
God:  whom  man  hath  condemned,'  God  hath  justified."  The 
sentence  was  executed  November  26,  1661.  He  was  bound  to 
a  sled  and  drawn  through  the  slush  of  the  streets  to  Tyburn, 
where  he  spoke  with  such  power  and  prayed  with  such  fervor 
that  the  hangman  would  not  execute  the  full  sentence,  but  per- 
mitted life  to  be  fully  extinct  before  he  was  drawn  and  quar- 
tered. On  the  same  sled  which  brought  him  to  the  place  of 
execution,  his  quarters  were  taken  back  to  Newgate  and  then 
placed  upon  Aldgate,  Bishopgate,  Moorgate,  and  Aldergate — 
the  four  gates  nearest  to  the  meeting-place  in  Bull  Stake  Alley, 
in  front  of  which  his  head  was  exposed  upon  a  pole.  Elder 
James  gained  great  S}-mpathy  and  respect  for  his  devotion  and 
submission  to  God.  At  the  place  of  execution  his  remarks 
were  gentle  and  loving,  and  his  soul  brave  and  full  of  hope. 
He  was  an  inoffensive  and  benevolent  man,  free  from  any 
blemish  in  his  character,  and  guiltless  of  every  charge  in  the 
indictment.  He  was  savagely  murdered  by  Charles  II,  his 
courtiers  and  his  tools  (the  judges)  to  terrify  the  Dissenters, 
and  especially  the  Baptists,  into  loyalty.  And  undoubtedly  the 
vengeance  of  God,  invoked  by  the  innocent  blood  of  John 
James,  had  something  to  do  with  driving  the  Stuarts  from  the 
throne  of  England. 

29.     Jones,  Philip.    Philip  Jones  was  pastor  of  the  Natton 


8o  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS! 

Seventh-day  Baptist  Church,  following  Edmund  Townsend  in 
1727,  and  continuing  in  this  relation  until  his  death  in  1770. 
As  a  young  man,  and  licentiate,  he  gave  promise  of  much  use- 
fulness; and  as  pastor  he  "served  the  church  with  great  abil- 
ity." It  is  said  of  him,  "he  w^as  a  holy  man  of  God,  a  good  and 
lively  preacher  of  the  gospel." 

30.  Jones,  William  M.  On  the  death  of  Rev.  William  H. 
Black  in  1872,  Elder  Jones,  his  son-in-law,  became  pastor  of 
Mill  Yard  Church,  and  ably  served  the  church  in  this  capacity 
until  his  death  in  1895,  February  22nd.  He  was  born  at  Fort 
Ann,  Washington  Co.,  N.  Y.,  May  2,  1818.  His  father,  Nathan 
Jones,  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  on  the  last 
Sunday  of  January,  1836,  William  was  baptized  in  the  Che- 
nango River.  In  March,  1838,  he  preached  his  first  sermon 
from  Matt.  25  :  31,  32.  In  October,  1838,  he  entered  Madison 
University,  Hamilton,  N.  Y.,  and  on  January  12,  1840,  he  was 
licensed  to  preach. 

He  began  ministerial  work  at  Mill  Creek,  Huntington 
Co.,  Penn.,  in  June.  January  5,  1841,  he  w^as  ordained  at  the 
Mill  Creek  Baptist  Church.  In  May,  1844,  he  was  appointed, 
wath  Elder  Bingham,  as  a  missionary  to  Burmah,  but  was  sent 
to  the  island  of  Hayti  in  the  West  Indies,  for  which  he 
embarked  at  Boston,  January  10,  1845.  December  2,  1845, 
he  preached  his  first  sermon  in  French,  from  the  text,  i 
John  1 :  7. 

His  first  knowledge  of  the  Sabbath  came  from  the  fact 
that  an  uncle,  Joel  Jones,  then  living  in  Canada,  was  keeping 
"Saturday  for  Sunday."  After  this  the  Sabbath  was  several 
times  brought  to  his  attention,  but  his  doubts  were  allayed  by 
a  Baptist  brother  who  said  that  "Saturday  was  the  Jewish  Sab- 
bath, but  Sunday  is  the  Christian  Sabbath,"  and  several  others 
of  the  most  plausible  statements  on  the  wrong  side  of  the 
Sabbath  question.  While  attending  a  missionary  meeting  in 
Sansom  Street  Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia,  in  November, 
1843,  ^16  found  some  tracts  lying  on  the  seats,  three  of  which 
he  picked  up  and  found  to  be,  "The  Sabbath  Vindicator." 
"An  address  to  the  Baptists  by  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Gen- 
eral Conference,"  and  "The  True  Sabbath  Embraced  and 
Observed."  He  was  dismayed  as  he  read  these,  and  said  to 
himself: —  "Are  these  things  so?  If  so,  then  I  am  involved  in 
(5) 


Ri':V.  WILLIAM  M.  JONES,  D.  D. 
See   Biogra[>h:cal   Sketches,    p.  136L 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  8l 

the  transgression  of  God's  law,  and  am  a  Sabbath-breaker." 
His  wife  said: —  "I  think  we  have  no  more  Scripture  for  Sun- 
day-keeping than  my  father  has  for  infant  sprinkHng."  Thus 
the  subject  was  dropped  for  awhile. 

In  1847  he  visited  his  uncle,  Joel  Jones,  at  Clarence,  N. 
Y.,  and  wrote  in  his  diary: —  "Saturday,  August  21st.  This 
day  is  kept  by  my  uncle  as  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  God.  Am  I 
wrong  in  keeping  the  first  day,  or  not  ?  Is  it  not  a  serious  ques- 
tion? ....  I  preached  for  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Church,  and  was  peculiarly  impressed  when  the  whole  congre- 
gation sang  with  much  fervor  Stennett's  liA^nn : — 
"Another  six  days'  work  is  done. 
Another  Sabbath  is  begun,"  etc.,  etc. 

Two  months  after  this  he  called  on  Rev.  Eli  S.  Bailey 
in  Brookfield,  N.  Y.,  on  a  Sabbath  evening;  and  of  this  visit 
he  writes : —  "I  inquired  for  a  book  on  Seventh-day  Baptist 
doctrine  and  history — one  containing  a  summary  of  arguments. 
The  Doctor  replied,  'Yes,  sir,  we  have  a  book  on  these  sub- 
jects— a  very  good  book  we  think  it  is ;  indeed  we  know  of  no 
better  one,  and  if  you  haven't  one,  I  shall  take  great  pleasure  in 
presenting  you  with  a  copy.  It  is  the  Bible,  sir.'  "  This 
recalled  to  Mr.  Jones  the  oft  repeated  Baptist  aphorism: — 
"The  Bible  is  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice." 

Finally  he  settled  the  question,  and  began  keeping  the 
Bible  Sabbath  on  the  first  Sabbath  in  July,  1848.  This  resulted 
in  his  recall  as  a  Baptist  missionary  to  the  Island  of  Ilayti, 
from  which  he  sailed  August  17,  1850.  He  was  welcomed  in 
New  York  by  Seventh-day  Baptist  friends,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing November  he  became  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Shiloh,  N.  J. 

March  11,  1854,  in  company  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles 
Saunders,  he  and  his  wife  sailed  for  the  Holy  Land,  whither 
the  Church  had  sent  them  to  found  a  mission  at  the  ancient 
Joppa.  Here  he  studied  Arabic,  Hebrew,  Latin,  Greek,  Ger- 
man and  Italian;  and  was  able  in  March,  1855,  to  use  Arabic 
in  public  worship  to  some  extent.  His  first  public  service  con- 
ducted wholly  in  Arabic  was  on  March,  13,  1858.  In  January, 
1859,  he  conducted  part  of  a  service  in  German. 

Being  recalled  from  this  mission,  he  left  Jerusalem  Decem- 
ber 23,  i860,  passed  through  Paris  and  arrivetl  in  London 
February  22,  1861,  where  he  first  met  the  Rev.  William  Henry 


82  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

Black,  F.  S.  A.,  pastor  of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Church.  May  6th  he  arrived  in  New  York,  and  in  October 
became  pastor  of  the  Walworth  (Wis.)  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Church.  In  1863  he  became  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Scott, 
N.  Y. ;  and  in  August,  1868,  he  removed  to  Rosenhayn,  near 
Vineland,  N.  J.  He  and  his  family  were  the  first  settlers 
bere,  built  the  first  house,  and  cleared  a  small  plot  of  ground. 

On  the  death  of  Rev.  W.  H.  Black,  April  12,  1872,  he  was 
called  as  pastor  of  the  i\Iill  Yard  Church.  Reaching  London, 
September  14,  1872,  he  found  only  three  members  belonging  to 
the  Church ;  but  during  his  pastorate  twenty-six  others  were 
added  to  the  number.  He  at  once  began  to  print  and  distribute 
tracts ;  and  issued  the  first  number  of  the  "Sabbath  Memorial" 
in  January,  1875.  This  quarterly  he  published  for  fourteen 
years,  and  made  it  a  faithful  and  strong  advocate  of  Sabbath 
observance. 

One  of  the  most  unique  and  important  of  his  many  Sab- 
bath publications  is  his  "Chart  of  the  W^ek"  in  160  languages ; 
this  he  issued  in  1887.  By  this  he  showed  that  in  over  one  hun- 
dred languages  the  seventh-day  or  Saturday  was  referred  to 
as  the  Sabbath.  Of  this  Chart,  the  Chrisfian  Leader  said, 
*'It  is  a  marvelous  production  of  patient  as  well  as  erudite 
toil,  giving  a  bird's  eye  view  of  the  language  history  of  the 
seven  days"  week  from  the  remotest  antiquity  to  the  present 
time." 

In  1882,  Sir  Walter  Besant,  in  his  famous  novel,  "All 
Sorts  and  Conditions  of  ]\Ien,"  describes  j\Iill  Yard  Chapel, 
and  refers  to  Mr.  Jones,  under  the  title  of  the  Rev.  Percival 
Hermitage.  Mr.  Besant  says : —  "As  for  the  position  taken  by 
these  people,  it  is  perfectly  logical,  and  in  fact,  impregnable. 
There  is  no  answer  to  it." 

In  June,  1886,  Alfred  University  conferred  upon  Mr. 
Jones  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  was 
Professor  of  Arabic  and  Hebrew  at  the  City  of  London  Col- 
lege, Moorfields,  for  several  years,  and  was  a  member  of 
many  societies — Seamen's  Christian  Friend  Society,  London 
Board  of  Baptist  ^Ministers,  Northwest  London  Fraternal. 
Board  of  the  General  Baptist  Assembly,  Society  of  Biblical 
Archeology,  The  Oriental  Congress,  The  Southern  Pro- 
vincial Assemblv  of  Free  Churches,  etc.,  etc. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND,  83 

He  spent  much  time  in  studying  the  Scriptures  in  the 
original  languages ;  and  his  advice  to  students  for  the  ministry 
was  always  to  learn  Hebrew  first  and  then  Greek,  holding  that 
the  New  Testament  Scriptures  should  be  studied  through 
Hebrew  spectacles. 

His  funeral  services  were  conducted  on  February  26,  by 
Rev.  G.  J.  Hill  of  the  Seamen's  Christian  Friend  Society,  at 
Abney  Park  Cemetery.  Mr.  Hill  said,  among  other  things, 
"I  never  knew  a  more  consistent  follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  I  never  heard  a  single  word  fall  from  his  lips  which 
I  might  wish  had  not  been  uttered,  never  an  uncharitable  or 
unkind  word  in  reference  to  any  one  absent,  nor  the  manifesta- 
tion of  any  but  a  Christlike  spirit  to  those  who  were  present." 

31.  Kiddle,  James  Jonas.  Rev.  J.  J.  Kiddle  was  born  in 
1802,  and  died  December  29,  1886.  (Mill  Yard  Records.)  His 
Sabbath  experience,  written  by  himself,  is  published  in  the 
"Sabbatk  Memorial"  for  October,  1878,  page  102.  He  became 
convinced  on  this  subject  in  1848  thru  an  argument  with  a 
skeptic,  but  did  not  commence  to  keep  the  Seventh-day  until 
1877.  November  29,  1879,  he  was  admitted  as  a  non-resident 
member  of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church. 

32.  Maulden,  John.  John  Maulden  was  for  forty  years 
an  elder  in  the  General  Baptist  Church.  He  was  pastor  of  a 
Baptist  Church  in  Goodmans  Fields  at  the  time  when  he 
became  a  Sabbath  convert  in  1708;  the  same  year  he  united 
with  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church.  About  the 
year  17 12  he  became  joint  pastor  of  Mill  Yard  Church  with 
Elder  John  Savage,  and  so  continued  until  his  death,  February 
17,  171 5,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  He  published  a  work 
entitled,  "A  Threefold  Dialogue;  Whether  the  Seventh  or 
First  Day  of  the  Week  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord ;"  and  also, 
"The  Ancient  and  Flonorable  Way  and  Truth  of  God's  Sacred 
Rest  of  the  Seventh-day  Sabbath."    These  are  able  works. 

2,Z-  McFarlane,  Elder  Patrick.  Elder  McFarlane  was 
a  member  of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church,  and 
an  able  and  learned  man.  In  181 5  he  published  an  "Englisli 
and  Gaellic  Vocabulary;"  and  in  1826,  "Strictures  on  the  Rev. 
Greville  Ewing's  Speech  at  Bible  Society  Meeting  in  Glas- 
gow." This  last  work  was  answered  by  a  ?^lr.  McGarvin, 
author  of  "The  Protestant." 


84  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Robert  Cox,  "Sabbath  Literature,"  vol.  II.,  p.  410,  refers  as 
follows  to  one  of  his  writings: —  "In  a  recent  pamphlet,  en- 
titled System  in  Revelation,  by  Patrick  McFarlane,  p.  25 
(Edinburg,  i860),  there  appears  a  strong  tendency  to  the 
opinion  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  has  been  rashly  and  un- 
warrantably substituted  for  the  seventh."  He  is  mentioned 
by  Gilfillen ;  and  his  name  also  appears  in  the  Alinutes  of  Con- 
ference of  forty  years  ago. 

34.  Noble,  Daniel  Daniel  Noble  was  born  in  White- 
chapel,  London,  June  14,  1729,  of  Sabbatarian  parents — Daniel 
and  Sarah  Noble.  When  very  young  he  manifested  a  pious 
disposition,  and  began  early  to  prepare  for  the  ministry.  He 
was  baptized  by  Elder  Robert  Cornthwaite  into  the  membership 
of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church. 

He  first  learned  grammar  of  a  local  tutor,  after  which  Mr. 
Cornthwaite  directed  his  studies.  He  then  came  under  the 
instruction  of  Dr.  Rotherham  at  Kendall,  and  afterwartis  com- 
pleted his  course  at  the  University  of  Glasgow  in  1749-52. 
For  a  time  he  conducted  a  school  at  Peckham. 

He  commenced  authorship  in  his  sixteenth  year,  his  first 
work  being,  "Letter  against  the  Young  Pretender,  to  the  Peo- 
ple of  England."  From  1755  to  1767,  he  published  books  of 
sermons. 

In  June,  1752,  he  began  to  preach  at  Mill  Yard  as  assistant 
pastor,  having  the  morning  service  while  the  pastor  conducted 
the  afternoon  appointment.  On  the  death  of  Elder  Corn- 
thwaite in  1755,  he  preached  his  funeral  sermon,  which  was 
published  in  the  "Protestant  Dissenters  Magazine,"  vol.  6. 
He  now  received  ordination  to  the  ministry,  and  became  pastor 
of  the  church;  which  position  he  held  until  his  death.  He  is 
said  to  have  been  faithful  and  diligent  in  the  discharge  of  his 
pastoral  duties,  preaching  with  the  Spirit  and  in  power.  Dr. 
Benson  said,  he  was  the  best  composer  of  sermons  he  knew. 

He  had  three  daughters  named,  Experience,  Eusebia, 
Serena. 

He  died  Dec.  24,  1783,  and  was  buried  Jan.  7,  1784.  Dr. 
Jeffreys  wrote  his  funeral  serjnon ;  but,  dying  three  days  later, 
was  unable  to  deliver  it.  It  is  printed  in  the  "Protestant  Dis- 
senters Magazine,"  vol.  5. 


THE  SABBATH  IX  ENGLAND.  85 

35.  Ockford,  James.  Of  the  early  history  of  this  able 
defender  of  Sabbath  truth,  we  have  no  available  record.  It  is 
said  that  he  "wrote  boldly  against  the  adversaries  of  the  Sab- 
bath," and  "turned  the  weapons  of  opposing  parties  against 
themselves."  Being  familiar  with  the  discussions  in  which 
Trask  and  Brabourne  had  been  engaged,  and  not  satisfied  with 
the  pretended  conviction  of  Brabourne,  he  published  a  book 
entitled,  "The  Doctrine  of  the  Fourth  Commandment."  The 
value  and  force  of  his  arguments  are  attested  by  two  facts: — 
First,  that  his  book  was  burned  by  order  of  the  authorities  of 
the  Established  Church,  suffering,  as  it  was  said,  "a  sharp 
confutation  by  fire ;"  and,  second,  that  it  was  counted  worthy 
of  an  extended  review  by  Cawdrey  and  Palmer,  members  of 
the  Assembly  of  Divines,  in  their  book,  "Sabbatum  Redivivum." 
One  copy  of  Ockford's  "Doctrines"  is  known  to  have  been  in 
existence  as  late  as  1868,  at  least. 

36.  Pooly,  Christopher.  Air.  Pooly  appears  to  have  been 
one  of  the  elders  of  Mr.  Brabourne's  church  in  Norwich,  Nor- 
folk. It  is  recorded  that  he  re-baptized  a  ]\Irs.  Boote  on  the 
i8th  of  August,  1656,  "at  the  staithe  in  the  river;"  and  that 
he  performed  a  like  office  for  others  sometime  before  this.  In 
1652  he  published  in  London  a  "A^indication  of  Christ  and  His 
Ordinances  from  Glosses."  John  Cowell  (see  Cox,  2-58) 
mentions  Pooly  with  Tillamand  Fox  as  "no  small  ones" 
among  the  Sabbath-keepers  and  defenders  of  his  day. 

T,y.  Powell,  J'^avasor.  \'avasor  Powell  was  born  in  Rad- 
norshire in  1617.  and  descended  from  an  ancient  and  honora- 
ble stock: —  on  his  father's  side,  from  the  Powells  of  Knocklas 
in  Radnorshire ;  and  on  his  mother's  side,  from  the  ^^avasors, 
a  family  of  great  antiquity,  that  came  out  of  Yorkshire  into 
Wales,  and  was  related  to  the  principal  gentry  in  Xorlh  Wales. 

He  was  educated  in  Jesus  College,  Oxford.  On  leaving 
College,  he  took  orders  in  the  Established  Church  about  the 
year  1640,  and  at  first  officiated  in  Wales  as  curate  to  his  uncle, 
Erasmus  Powell. 

He  had  not  been  long,  however,  in  that  situation  when  he 
joined  the  Puritans,  (probably  about  1642-43),  from  a  convic- 
tion that  their  principles  and  proceedings  were  more  consonant 
with  the  Scriptures  than  those  on  which  the  National  I-lstablisli- 


86  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

ment  is  founded.     About  this  time  he  left  Wales  and  took  up 
his  residence  in  the  neighborhood  of  London. 

It  appears  that  now  he  was  in  high  estimation  with  the 
Presbyterian  party;  and  soon  after  an  act  of  Parhament,  Feb. 
22,  1649,  "fo^  t'""^  better  propagating  and  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  Wales,"  he  returned  to  his  native  land  where  he  con- 
tinued some  years  diligently  exerting  himself  in  promoting  the 
objects  of  that  act,  and  especially  in  preaching  the  Gospel 
throughout  the  country.  There  was  scarcely  a  neighborhood, 
a  parish,  or  a  village  in  the  country  which  was  not  visited  by 
him,  and  that  did  not  hear  from  his  mouth  the  cheering  invi- 
tations of  the  Gospel.  There  were  few,  if  any,  of  the  churches 
or  chapels  in  Wales  in  which  he  did  not  preach ;  very  often  he 
preached  to  the  poor  Welch  in  the  mountains,  at  fairs,  and  in 
market  places.  Even  to  this  day  places  are  pointed  out,  it  is 
said,  in  the  most  obscure  and  unfrequented  parts  of  the  prin- 
cipality, where  Vavasor  preached  to  numerous  congregations. 

When  Mr.  Powell  left  Wales  in  1642,  there  was  not  above 
one  or  two  gathered  churches ;  but  as  early  as  1654  his  follow- 
ers were  calculated  to  amount  to  not  less  than  twenty  thousand, 
organized  into  distinct  societies  of  from  two  hundred  to  five 
hundred  members  each — all  chiefly  planted  and  formed  by  his 
care  and  industry. 

Rev.  Dr.  Richards  of  Lynn,  Norfolk,  who  bestowed  much 
industry  in  tracing  out  the  history  of  this  eminent  Noncon- 
formist, says  that  he  embraced  the  sentiments  of  the  Baptists 
and  was  himself  baptized  toward  the  end  of  the  year  1655.  Af- 
ter this  he  steadily  persevered  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  till  the 
new  order  of  things  under  Charles  II  deprived  him  of  his  lib- 
erty and  compelled  him  to  desist.  He  was  among  the  first  vic- 
tims of  the  tyrannical  measures  of  Charles  II.  On  the  28th  of 
April,  1660,  he  was  seized  in  his  own  house  by  a  party  of  sol- 
diers and  conducted  to  the  county  jail.  He  was  secured  first 
at  Shrewsbury,  afterward  in  Wales,  and  at  last  in  the  Fleet. 
In  the  year  1662  he  was  shut  up  in  South  Sea  Castle,  near 
Portsmouth,  where  he  continued  five  years.  In  1667  he  was 
released,  but,  venturing  to  preach  again  in  his  own  country,  he 
was  imprisoned  at  Cardig;  and  on  Oct.  16,  1669,  he  was 
brought  to  London  and  committed  once  more  to  the  Fleet, 
where  he  remained  till  discharged  by  death  October  27,  1670, 


THE  SADBATH  IN   ENGLAND.  87 

in  the  fifty-third  year  of  his  age — clcz'Cii  years  of  i^'liiclt  he  had 
passed  in  prison  for  preaching  a  pure  Gospel.  He  was  buried 
in  Bunhill  Fields,  in  the  presence  of  an  innumerable  crowd 
of  Dissenters.  The  inscription  on  his  tomb  calls  him  '*a  suc- 
cessful teacher  of  the  past,  a  sincere  witness  of  the  present, 
and  a  useful  example  to  the  future  age ;  who,  in  the  defection 
of  many,  found  mercy  to  be  faithful,  for  which,  being  called 
to  many  prisons,  he  w^as  there  tried,  and  would  not  accept 
deliverance,  expecting  a  better  resurrection." 

Dr.  Toulmin,  editor  of  Neal's  "History  of  the  Puritans," 
in  a  footnote  on  page  274,  says: —  "So  active  and  laborious 
was  he  in  the  duties  of  the  ministry,  that  he  frequently  preached 
in  two  or  three  places  in  a  day,  and  was  seldom  two  days  in 
the  week,  throughout  the  year,  out  of  the  pulpit.  He  would 
sometimes  ride  a  hundred  miles  in  the  week,  and  preach  in 
every  place  where  he  could  gain  achnittance,  either  by  night  or 
day.  He  would  often  alight  from  his  horse,  and  set  on  it  any 
aged  person  whom  he  met  on  the  road  on  foot,  and  walk  by 
their  side  for  miles  together.  He  was  exceedingly  hospitable 
and  generous,  and  would  not  only  entertain  and  lodge,  but 
clothe  the  poor  and  aged.  He  was  a  man  of  great  humility, 
very  conscientious  and  exemplary  in  all  the  relations  of  life, 
and  very  punctual  to  his  word.  He  was  a  scholar,  and  his 
general  deportment  was  that  of  a  gentleman;  His  seniinients 
icerc  tJwse  of  a  Sabbatarian  Baptist.  Dr.  Richards  says  there 
is  not  sufficient  ground  for  considering  him  a  Sabbatarian; 
but  Dr.  Toulmin  refers  to  Crosby's  "History  of  English  Bap- 
tists," of  which  Dr.  Black  says  that  it  is  the  only  real  history  of 
English  Baptists.  We  may  confidently  rest  upon  this  authority 
until  facts  are  adduced  to  prove  the  contrarw  and  rejoice  in 
this  eminent  exam])le  of  apostolic  labor  and  suttering  for  the 
cause  of  divine  truth. 

38.  Purser,  Benjamin.  .Mr.  Benjamin  Turser  was  the 
youngest  son  of  the  first  pastor  of  the  Xatton  Church,  Tewkes- 
bury; and  has  the  record  of  a  ])ious,  thrift \-  and  benevolent  man. 
Tn  1718  he  bought  an  estate  at  .Xatton,  and  fitted  up  one  room 
of  his  dwelling  as  a  chapel  for  Sabbath  worshi]):  and  this  has 
been  the  meeting  ])lace  of  this  ancient  cliurcli  I'mni  that  day 
until  the  i)resent  time.  At  his  death  in  ijos,  he  bequeatlu-d 
this  chapel  and  a  burying  jilace  to  the  church,  together  with 


88  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

an  annuity  of  five  pounds  to  all  succeeding  pastors.  Tho  we 
know  but  little  more  of  this  godly  man,  with  these  facts  as  a 
basis,  we  can  picture  a  happy  life  of  industry  and  well-doing. 

39.  Purser,  John.  Elder  John  Purser  was  the  first  pas- 
tor, so  far  as  we  have  any  account,  of  the  Natton  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Church  in  Tewkesbury,  Gloucestershire.  His  father 
was  of  an  honorable  family,  and  wealthy,  but  disinherited  him 
because  he  persisted  in  keeping  the  seventh-day  Sabbath. 
However,  notwithstanding  this  injustice,  God  prospered  him 
in  his  business  as  a  farmer,  so  that  he  attained  to  comfortable 
circumstances,  and  to  good  standing  in  his  County.  Between 
the  years  1660  and  1690  he  suffered  much  persecution  for  con- 
science' sake — at  one  time  having  taken  from  him  the  team  and 
plow  with  which  he  was  cultivating  his  farm ;  but  in  this  case 
a  neighboring  Conformist  interposed  in  his  behalf  and  caused 
to  be  returned  to  him  these  necessary  articles  for  procuring  a 
livelihood.  But  despite  all  his  losses,  God  blessed  and  pros- 
pered him ;  and  he  was  enabled  to  bring  up  in  comfort  a  large 
family.  All  his  children,  and  many  of  his  grandchildren,  walk- 
ed in  his  steps,  keeping  the  commandments  of  God. 

40.  Rix,  Thomas.  Thomas  Rix  was  born  in  Maiden, 
Essex.  England,  in  1806,  and  died  in  London,  December  26, 
1886.  He  was  brought  up  in  the  Wesleyan  denomination  of 
which  he  became  a  minister  at  an  early  age.  Becoming  dissat- 
isfied with  infant  baptism,  he  was  baptized  and  joined  a  Bap- 
tist Church.  Soon  after  this  he  read  a  series  of  articles  on  the 
Sabbath  question,  in  a  magazine  called  "The  Church ;"  these 
articles  led  him  to  become  a  Sabbath-keeper.  He  then  sought 
out  the  Mill  Yard  Church,  which,  after  a  time,  he  joined ;  and 
in  1854,  was  chosen  as  one  of  its  deacons. 

He  was  a  man  of  sterling  integrity  and  conscientious- 
ness ;  for  altho  his  place  of  residence  was  four  miles  from  Mill 
Yard  he  always  walked  both  ways  so  as  not  to  break  the  Sab- 
bath. For  several  years  before  his  death  he  preached  in  a  free 
church  which  he  had  erected  at  his  own  expense. 

On  Sunday.  December  26,  1886,  he  was  visiting  some 
friends  at  Wood  Green  in  the  North  of  London,  and  in  the 
evening  went  to  the  Wesleyan  chapel.  During  the  singing  of  a 
hymn  he  suddenly  fell  forward  and  expired. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  EXGLAXD.  89 

He  was  twice  married;  and  his  second  wife  still  survives 
him,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church. 

41,  Rogers,  John.  John  Rogers  is  not  known  to  have 
been  a  Sabbath-keeper,  but  is  given  here  because  he  was 
probably  the  ancestor  of  James  Rogers,  one  of  the  first  mem- 
bers of  the  Newport  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church.  In  the 
reign  of  Bloody  i\Iary,  John  Rogers  was  burned  at  the  stake, 
Monday,  February  4.  1555. 

A  striking  incident  is  related  of  him  in  the  Latin  edition 
of  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs,  but  omitted  in  the  English  transla- 
tion : —  In  King  Edward's  reign  some  were  put  to  death  for 
heresy ;  among  these  was  a  woman,  Joan  of  Kent.  Rogers  at 
this  time  was  divinity  reader  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  who  there- 
fore was  in  position  to  have  influence  with  the  higher  author- 
ities. A  friend  plead  with  him  to  use  his  interest  with  the 
Archbishop  that  this  woman  might  be  saved  from  the  stake ; 
but  to  all  the  arguments  and  persuasions  of  his  more  humane 
friend,  he  turned  a  deaf  ear,  saying  that  she  ought  to  die,  and 
that  burning  was  no  cruel  death.  Hearing  this,  the  friend 
struck  Rogers'  hand  which  he  held,  and  with  great  vehemence 
exclaimed : —  "Well,  perhaps  it  may  so  happen  that  you  your- 
self shall  have  your  hands  full  of  this  mild  burning."  And 
so  it  came  to  pass  that  John  Rogers  was  the  first  man  who 
was  burned  in  Queen  Mary's  reign.  It  is  supposed  that  his 
friend,  referred  to  above,  was  no  other  than  Fox  himself. 

42.  Rogers,  Thomas.  Nicholas  Bounde's  book,  though 
written  in  the  interest  of  Sunday,  was  suppressed  by  Arch- 
bishop Whitgift  and  Lord  Chief  Justice  Popham  because  it 
aroused  thoughtful  popular  attention  to  this  great  question, 
with  the  result  that  many  questioned  the  divine  authority  for 
Sunday  keeping :  and  the  complaint  was  entered  that  "some 
built  on  this  foundation,  endeavoring  to  bring  back  again  the 
Jewish  Sabbath  and  abrogate  the  Lord's  day  as  having  no 
foundation  in  the  Fourth  Commandment." 

Whether  Thomas  Rogers  kept  tlie  seventh-day  Sahl)ath 
of  the  Bible,  or  not,  it  is  certain  that  his  work  was  not  favor- 
able to  Sunday  sacredness ;  for  in  1607  lie  wrote  a  treatise  on 
the  Thirtv-nine  .Xrticles  of  the  Established  Churcli.  in  which 


90  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

he  vigorously  denounced  the  idea  that  to  do  servile  work  on 
the  Lord's  day  (Sunday)  was  a  sin.     He  died  in  i6i6. 

43.  Russell,  Peter.  Peter  Russell  was  one  of  the 
pastors  of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church, 
being  ordained  to  the  ministry  at  the  same  time  with 
Daniel  Noble.  Upon  the  death  of  Robert  Cornthwaite,  in 
1755,  Noble  and  Russell  were  together  appointed  to  succeed 
him — the  first  preaching  in  the  morning  and  the  other  in  the 
afternoon.  When  Mr.  Noble  died  in  1783  he  was  succeeded 
l^y  William  Slater  as  morning  preacher;  while  Mr.  Russell 
continued  as  afternoon  preacher  until  his  death,  in  1789,  when 
Mr.  Slater  became  both  morning  and  afternoon  preacher. 
Mr.  Russell  is  said  to  have  served  the  church  very  acceptably. 

44.  Saunders,  Lawrence.  We  include  the  name  of  Mr. 
Saunders  not  because  he  was  a  known  Sabbath-keeper,  but 
for  the  reason  that  he  was  an  ancestor  of  Tobias  Saunders, 
one  of  the  members  of  the  first  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  in 
America. 

Rev.  Lawrence  Saunders  was  born  in  (jloucestershire. 
England ;  educated  at  Cambridge,  and  became  a  preacher  of 
the  gospel  at  Frothingham  and  Litchfield  in  the  reign  of  Ed- 
ward VL  He  was  martyred  by  tire  outside  the  city  of  Cov- 
entry February  9th,   1555    (Sabbath  day). 

45.  Saz'age,  John.  Elder  John  Savage  became  pas- 
tor of  the  Mill  Yard  church  in  1712;  and  during  his 
term  of  service,  the  church  was  moved  from  Bull-stake  Alley 
to  Mill  Yard.  He  had  as  assistant  pastor  John  ]\Iaulden.  un- 
til Maulden's  death,  February  17,  17 15.  After  a  faithful  pas- 
torate of  eight  years,  Elder  Savage  died  March  20th,  1720. 

46.  Sellers,  WiUiain.  The  name  is  variously  spelled— 
Seller,  Sailer,  Sallars,  Salter ;  but  the  dates  identify  the  per- 
son as  one.  Ivimey,  Maitland  and  others  give  John  James 
(who  was  martyred  in  1661)  as  the  first  j^astor  of  the  Mill 
Y'ard  Seventh-day  Baptist  church.  Mr.  Sellers  is  named  by 
these  writers  as  the  next  pastor  of  this  church,  and  as  having 
served  in  this  capacity  from  1670  to  1678.  The  church  is  said 
to  have  been  in  a  flourishing  condition  during  his  pastorate. 

A.S  early  as  1657,  in  conjunction  with  John  Spittlehouse, 
he  published  "An  Appeal  to  the  Consciences  of  the  Chief  Mag- 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  9 1 

istratcs  toiicliiiiij  the  Sabbath  Day."     In  i^>79  an  enlarged  edi- 
tion of  this  work  was  issued. 

In  1671  Air.  Sellers  published  "Examination  of  a  Late 
Book  by  Dr.  Owen  on  a  Sacred  Day  of  Rest,"  in  which  he  de- 
fended the  Sabbath  of  the  Bible.  He  also  published  a  work 
on  "Christian  Instruction,"  in  the  form  of  Question  and  An- 
swer; but  no  date  is  given. 

In  the  1679  edition  of  the  "Appeal,"  he  mentions  "The 
oath  and  protestation  that  I  and  this  Protestant  kingdom  took 
in  1641."  Supposing  that  at  that  date  he  was  not  under  twen- 
t}-,  this  would  make  him  about  ninety  years  old  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  May  26,  1713. 

It  was  during-  his  pastorate,  in  1673,  that  the  present 
records  of  the  Mill  Yard  church  began.  He  is  spoken  of  as 
a  man  of  considerable  power  in  debate  and  controversy,  using 
his  gift  in  defense  of  the  Sabbath.  It  is  said  that  he  greatly 
interested  the  Jews,  who  came  often  to  hear  him  preach. 

47.  Slialdcr,  Robert.  David  Benedict,  in  his  "History 
of  Baptists,"  says  that  Mr.  Shakier  was  a  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist. A  testimony  to  his  faithfulness,  and  to  his  sufifering  for 
the  truth's  sake  is  given  in  Neal's  "Puritans,"  Vol.  II,  page 
382 : —  "The  rage  of  the  people,  sanctioned  by  the  conduct  of 
the  magistrates  and  the  clergy,  towards  the  Baptists,  rose  to 
such  a  height  as  to  deny  them  the  benefit  of  the  common  bury- 
ing places.  Nay,  there  wanted  not  instances  of  their  being 
taken  out  of  their  graves.  The  inhabitants  of  Croft  in  Lin- 
colnshire treated  in  this  manner  the  corpse  of  Mr.  Robert  Shal- 
der  in  the  year  1666.  He  had  suffered  much  by  imprisonment 
and  died  soon  after  his  release.  He  was  buried  among  his 
ancestors ;  and  on  the  same  day  his  grave  was  opened  and  his 
body  was  taken  out,  dragged  on  a  sledge  to  his  own  gate  and 
left  there."  Thus  have  faithful  men  suffered  for  Sabbath 
truth. 

4(S.  Sliciisloiic,  John  Britlaiii.  Elder  Shenstone  was 
liorn  January  29,  1776;  baptized  April  22,  1792;  called  to  the 
ministry  .\ugust  14.  1797;  ordained  elder  of  the  General  Bap- 
tist Church  April  27,,  1799.  I'or  over  forty  years  he  was  con- 
nected with  the  Board  of  Baptist  Ministers  of  London;  and, 
as  the  senior  member,  was  called  the  father  of  the  Board.  But 


92  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

about  the  year  1822  he  became  convinced  as  to  the  Sabbath, 
and  began  to  attend  the  ministry  of  Robert  Burnside,  whom 
he  succeeded,  in  June.  1826,  as  pastor  of  Francis  Bampfield's 
old  church  (Pinner's  Hall,  London).  He  died  on  Sunday, 
Maty  12,  1844,  in  his  sixty-ninth  year.  He  was  the  last  pastor 
of  this  ancient  church.  His  wife,  who  survived  him,  died 
October  11,  1863 — the  last  member  of  this  church. 

In  1826  Elder  Shenstone  published  a  book  entitled  "The 
Authority  of  Jehovah  Asserted ;  or  a  Scriptural  Plea  for  the 
Seventh-day  Weekly  Sabbath  as  the  Only  Sabbath  Given  by 
God." 

49.  Skipp,  Edzvard.  Edward  Skipp  wrote  in  defense  of 
the  Sabbath  in  1664.  Further  than  this  we  have  no  record  of 
him.  Robert  Cox  in  "Sabbath  Literature"  (2-58)  refers  to 
his  book. 

50.  Slater,  IVilliain.  William  Slater  was  born  May  24, 
1754,  and  died  July  21,  1819.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Mill 
Yard  Church ;  and  on  the  death  of  Daniel  Noble  in  1783-4  he 
succeeded  him  as  morning  preacher  and  upon  the  death  of 
Peter  Russell  in  1789  he  became  afternoon  preacher  also,  and 
so  continued  until  his  death.  Li  1783  he  wrote  in  defense  of 
the  Sabbath. 

The  church  experienced  much  trouble  during  his  pasto- 
rate, one  of  the  trustees  having  thrown  its  affairs  into  the 
Court  of  Chancery,  for  a  private  purpose.  Being  a  quiet,  in- 
offensive man,  he  took  these  troubles  so  to  heart  as  to  cause 
his  death. 

He  kept  a  school  for  boys,  and  was  a  most  successful 
teacher;  two  of  his  pupils  (one  who  became  a  doctor,  and  the 
other  Secretary  of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society)  spoke 
very  highly  of  him. 

He  had  one  son  and  six  daughters,  who  survived  him. 

51.  S  mi  til.  Robert.  Robert  Smith  was  born  in  1590  and 
died  in  i<^»75.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  church.  Reference  is  made  to  him  in  the  "Bap- 
tist Cyclopedia,"  and  also  in  Hoyt  and  Wheeler's  "Biographi- 
cal Dictionary,"  where  he  is  spoken  of  as  a  book  collector ;  he 
is  mentioned  in  Tlie  Sabbath  Recorder  of  January  14,  1858. 


JOHN    SLATI'R. 
See    Biognifliical    Sketches,  p.    1361. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  93 

52.  Soursby,  Henry.  Henry  Sonrsby  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Mill  Yard  church  and  was  chosen  elder  in 
1673 ;  in  1678  he  succeeded  Elder  William  Sellers  as  pas- 
tor of  the  church,  holding  this  position  until  his  death,  Sep- 
tember 8,  171 1.  He  was  gifted  in  debate,  and  used  his  tal- 
ents vigorously  in  defense  of  the  Sabbath.  In  1683  he  i)ub- 
lished  "A  Discourse  on  the  Sabbath." 

53.  Spittlehouse,  John.  About  the  year  1654  there  was 
published  a  "Declaration  of  the  se\'eral  churches  of  Christ 
and  Godly  people  in  and  about  the  citie  of  London,  concern- 
ing the  Kingly  Interest  of  Christ,  and  the  present  sufferings 
of  His  Cause  and  Saints  in  England;"  and  among  the  150  sig- 
natures is  a  group  of  seven  names  representing  the  Sabbath- 
keeping  church  "that  walketh  with  Dr.  Peter  Chamberlen:" 
in  this  group  is  the  name  of  John  Spittlehouse.  He  also  ap- 
pears as  joint  author  with  William  Sellers  of  "An  Appeal  to 
the  Consciences  of  the  Chief  Magistrates  of  this  Common- 
w-ealth  Touching  the  Sabbath-day,"  published  in  1657.  Gil- 
fillan  includes  him  in  a  list  of  eminent  names  of  men  who, 
"spread  over  a  space  of  more  than  two  centuries,  have  con- 
tended for  the  perpetuity  of  the  seventh-day  Sabbath  against 
the  Christian  world."  Elder  Black  calls  him  "Reverend ;" 
and  says  he  was  alive  as  late  as  1671.  Alas,  that  we  have  so 
scanty  records  of  the  lives  of  men  of  this  stamp ! 

54.  Stc Illicit,  Edzvard.  Edward  Stennett  was  born  in 
Lincolnshire,  but  the  exact  date  we  do  not  know.  The  earliest 
notice  we  have  of  him  states  that  he  was  alive  and  not  a  Sab- 
bath-keeper as  early  as  163 1 ;  at  which  time,  according  to  Rob- 
ert Cox's  "Sabbath  Literature,"  Theophilus  Brabourne  wrote 
against  him  and  other  preachers  a  "Defence  of  the  Most  An- 
cient and  Sacred  Ordinance  of  God,  the  Sabbath  Day," 

He  appears  to  have  held  the  sequestered  rectory  at  Wal- 
lingford;  but  having  taken  the  side  of  Parliament,  and  having 
served  as  chaplain  in  the  Parliamentary  army,  he  was,  on  the 
Restoration  of  Charles  II.,  in  1660,  deprived  of  liis  living  in 
the  Established  Church.  He  now  aj^plied  himself  to  the  study 
of  medicine,  by  the  practice  of  which  he  was  able  to  support 
his  family  in  comfort  and  give  his  children  a  liberal  educa- 
tion. 


94  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS  : 

\\'lien  he  embraced  the  Sabbath,  we  cannot  say,  but  we 
find  him  in  charge  of  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  congregation  in 
WalHngford  at  the  time,  of  soon  after  the  Restoration.  At 
the  request  of  his  son,  Joseph,  he  undertook  the  pastorate  of 
Pinner's  Hall  church,  and  came  to  London  at  intervals,  but 
continued  to  make  Wallingford  his  home. 

He  suffered  much  of  the  persecution  to  which  the  Dis- 
senters were  exposed  at  that  time,  and  more  especially  for  his 
faithful  adherence  to  the  cause  of  the  Sabbath.  For  this  truth 
he  experienced  tribulation,  not  only  from  those  in  power,  by 
whom  he  was  a  long  time  kept  in  prison,  but  also  much  dis- 
tress from  unfriendly  dissenting  brethren  who  strove  to  de- 
stroy his  influence  and  ruin  his  cause.  Wallingford  Castle, 
in  which  he  resided,  possessed,  among  other  privileges,  ex- 
emption from  search  warrants  issued  by  any  under  the  rank 
of  Lord  Chief  Justice;  he  M^as  thus  enabled  to  defy  the  local 
magistrates.  In  this  castle  he  fitted  up  a  room  for  worship, 
and  took  great  care  to  admit  no  strangers.  The  'squire  and 
parson  were  his  chief  enemies,  who,  failing  to  trouble  him  by 
law,  hired  false  witnesses  against  him.  Knowing  the  just- 
ness of  his  cause  he  decided  to  appear  at  the  trial  which  was 
fixed  for  the  assizes  at  Newbury.  Just  as  the  time  for  the 
trial  approached,  the  son  of  the  Judge  who  was  to  have  been 
a  witness  against  him  absconded  with  some  strolling  players, 
the  rector  of  Wallingford  was  seized  with  illness,  another  wit- 
ness broke  his  leg ;  and  in  one  way  or  another  all  were  pre- 
vented from  appearing  against  him,  except  one  man,  a  gar- 
dener, whose  conscience  smote  him  so  that  he  refused  to  ap- 
pear. And  so  the  servant  of  the  Lord  was  delivered  from 
the  hands  of  his  enemies ;  there  were  also  other  instances  in 
which  the  plain  hand  of  Providence  appeared  in  his  behalf. 

In  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial  may  be  seen  a  let- 
ter "from  Dr.  Edward  Stennett,  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
church,  in  Bell  Lane,  London,  to  the  Sabbath-keepers  in 
Rhode  Island,  dated  Abingdon,  Berkshire,  February  2,  1668." 
The  truly  humble  spirit  of  this  great  man  is  manifest  in  the 
opening  and  closing  of  his  letter.  He  begins : —  "Edward 
Stennett,  a  poor,  unworthy  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  rem- 
nant in  Rhode   Island  who  keep  the  commandments  of  God 


THE  SABBATH  IX  ENGLAND.  95 

and  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  sendeth  greeting;"  and  in  closing 
he  begs  their  "earnest  prayers  for  a  full  supply  of  all  grace 
for  me,  a  poor  sinful  wretch,  that  I  may  be  found  worthy  to 
praise  him."  This  letter  also  indicates  that  many  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  churches  once  flourished  in  England.  He  says: — 
''Here  are  in  England  about  nine  or  ten  churches  that  keep 
the  Sabbath,  besides  many  scattered  disciples  who  have  been 
eminently  preserved  in  this  tottering  day  when  many  once  emi- 
nent churches  have  been  shattered  in  pieces."  This  opens  up 
to  us  a  much  larger  view  than  we  have  been  accustomed  to 
take  of  the  once  llourishing  condition  of  Sabbath  truth  and 
principles  in  England. 

In  1670  Mr.  Stennett  wrote  a  second  letter  to  the  Rhode 
Island  church  ;  this  was  of  like  spirit  with  the  first. 

In  1658  he  published  ''The  Royal  Law  contended  for:  or. 
Some  Brief  Grounds  serving  to  prove  that  the  Ten  Command- 
ments are  yet  in  full  force,  and  shall  so  remain  till  Heaven 
and  Earth  pass  away."  The  same  year  he  wrote  "The 
Seventh-day  Sabbath  proved  from  the  Beginning,  from  the 
Law,  from  the  Prophets,  from  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  to  be 
a  duty  yet  incumbent  upon  Saints  and  Sinners."  Also,  in 
1664.  he  published  "The  Seventh-day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord :  in  answer  to  Mr.  Russell's  book,  No  Seventh-day  Sab- 
bath recommended  by  Jesus  Christ."  The  first  work  was  re- 
printed by  the  American  (Seventh-day)  Sabbath  Tract  So- 
ciet}'  in  i(S48.  and  is  included  in  their  volume  of  Tracts  on  the 
Sabbath  published  in  1853. 

.An  extract  from  his  br»ok.  "Penalt\-  for  Sabbath-break- 
ing," written  in  U/)4.  ma}'  be  seen  in  The  Sabbath  Recorder 
for  April  2^,  1845. 

Besides  asserting  the  duty  of  keeping  the  seventh-day 
Sab1)ath.  Mr.  Stennett  taught  that  its  observance  ought  to  be 
commenced  after  the  manner  of  the  Jews,  at  sunset  on  Friday. 

All  his  writings  "breathe  the  genuine  spirit  of  Christiani- 
ty, and  in  their  day  were  greatly  conducive  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  Sabbath-keeping  churches." 

In  earlv  life  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
Ouelch,  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement  who  belonged  to  an 
Oxford  family  of  good  repute ;  and  who  was  his  most  affec- 


g6  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

tionate  and  helpful  companion  through  a  long  and  eventful 
life.  They  became  the  ancestors  of  a  series  of  Sabbatarian 
ministers  who,  for  four  generations,  continued  to  be  among 
the  foremost  of  Dissenters  in  England,  and  whose  praise  is 
still  in  all  the  churches. 

Jehudah,  their  eldest  son,  became  an  eminent  scholar  and 
physician  at  Henley-on-Thames,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
wrote  a  Hebrew  Grammar  which  was  the  standard  text-book 
of  the  schools  of  that  day. 

Their  daughter  (Mary)  was  an  excellent  Greek  and  He- 
brew scholar;  and  married  a  William  Morton,  of  Knaphill, 
Buckshire. 

All  their  children  were  members  of  Pinner's  Hall  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  church.  Benjamin  and  George  were  both  worthy 
representatives  of  the  name;  Benjamin  was  useful  in  the  min- 
istry, but  died  young ;  George  is  said  to  have  been  an  eloquent, 
sound  and  able  preacher  of  the  gospel.  But  of  all  their  child- 
ren, the  one  who  reached  the  greatest  eminence  was  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Stennett  I. 

Rev.  Edward  Stennett  died  at  Wallingford  in  1690.  The 
following  epitaph  was  written  by  his  son  Joseph,  and  placed 
over  the  grave  of  his  father  and  mother : — 

"Here  lies  a  holy  and  a  happy  pair : 

As  once  in  grace,  they  now  in  glory  share : 
•  They  dared  to  suffer,  but  they  feared  to  sin ; 

And  meekly  bore  the  cross,  the  crown  to  win, 

So  lived,  as  not  to  be  afraid  to  die ; 

So  died,  as  heirs  of  immortality. 

Reader,  attend :  tho  dead,  they  speak  to  thee ; 

Tread  the  same  path,  the  same  thine  end  shall  be." 

55.  Stennett,  Joseph,  D.  D.,  I.  Joseph  Stennett  (ist) 
was  born  at  Abingdon,  County  of  Berks,  England,  in  1663. 
Through  God's  blessing  upon  the  prayers  and  eflorts  of  his 
pious  parents,  he  was  ver}-  early  in  life  born  from  above.  Af- 
ter his  death,  among  his  papers  were  found  these  words: — 
"O  God  of  my  salvation,  how  abundant  was  thy  goodness ! 
O  invaluable  mercy !  Thou  didst  season  my  tender  years 
with  a  religious  education,  so  that  I  sucked  in  the  rudiments 

of  Christianity,  as  it  were,  with  my  mother's  milk,  by  the  gra- 
ce) ' 


REV.  JOSEPH   STENNETT. 
See     Biographical   Sketches,   p.  1361. 


THE  SABBATH  IN  EXGLAXD.  97 

cious  admonitions  and  holy  discipline  of  my  godly  parents. 
This  was  an  antidote  sent  from  heaven  against  the  corroding 
poison  of  sin ;  this  made  conscience  speak,  while  my  childish 
tongue  could  but  stammer;  this  is  a  branch  of  thy  divine 
bounty  and  goodness,  for  which  my  soul  shall  forever  bless 
Thee." 

After  finishing  the  branches  of  an  ordinary  education  at 
the  Grammar  School  in  W'allingford,  he  mastered  the  French 
and  Italian  languages,  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  He- 
brew and  other  Oriental  tongues,  and  successfully  studied 
philosophy  and  the  liberal  sciences.  In  1685  he  removed  to 
London,  and  for  the  first  five  years  employed  himself  in  the 
education  of  youth.  He  here  cultivated  the  acquaintance  of 
persons  eminent  for  piety  and  learning. 

In  1688  he  married  Susannah  Gill,  the  daughter  of  an 
eminent  and  v*-orthy  French  merchant  who  had  fled  from 
France  after  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  in  1685. 
This  was  a  most  happy  union,  and  was  blessed  with  noble 
children,  some  of  whom  reached  great  distinction  as  preachers. 

On  coming  to  London  he  joined  the  Pinner's  Hall 
Seventh-day  Baptist  church  September  28,  1686.  His 
brethren  soon  discovered  his  gifts  and  grace,  and  prevailed 
upon  him  to  exercise  in  exhortation  and  expounding  the  Scrip- 
tures. These  exercises  proving  so  satisfactory  to  the  church, 
his  ordination  took  place  on  "ye  4th  day  of  ye  ist  month,  1690." 

He  preached  on  Sunday  to  other  Baptist  churches,  but 
remained  the  faithful  pastor  of  the  Pinner's  Hall  Seventh-day 
Baptist  church  until  his  death.  His  ministry  was  eminently 
evangelical,  faithful  and  effective.  In  preaching  he  never 
used  written  sermons,  and  took  but  few  notes  into  the  pulpit. 
"His  diction  was  easy  and  natural,  for  he  had  great  command 
of  the  English  language.  His  voice  was  low,  sweet  and  musi- 
cal ;  and  as  he  spoke  the  true  sense  of  his  own  heart — the  suit- 
able air  of  his  countenance,  and  the  agreeableness  of  his  ad- 
dress, seldom  failed  to  recommend  what  he  said  to  the  atten- 
tion of  judicious  hearers.  When  he  preached,  few  in  the  as- 
sembly could  remain  unmoved."  So  says  the  editor  of  his 
published  works. 

His   polished   manners,   ready   address,   fine   intellect  and 


98  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

extensive  learning  speedily  gave  him  a  high  position  among 
the  Baptists ;  and,  a  little  later,  in  other  dissenting  denomina- 
tions. At  the  request  of  the  Baptists  he  drew  up  and  pre- 
sented an  address  to  William  III  on  his  deliverance  from  the 
"Assassination  Plot."  This  document  was  highly  commend- 
ed. When  he  published  his  thanksgiving  sermon  for  the  vic- 
tory at  Hochstadt,  in  1704,  a  nobleman,  without  his  knowl- 
edge, presented  a  copy  of  it  to  the  Queen  (Anne),  who  was 
so  pleased  with  it  that  she  sent  a  gift  to  the  eloquent  and  pa- 
triotic preacher. 

He  wrote  and  published  many  books,  but  he  excelled 
especially  as  a  poet.  He  composed  many  beautiful  hymns, 
some  of  which  are  still  used  in  the  churches,  and  which  drew 
forth  at  the  time  of  their  composition  commendations  from 
Mr.  Tate,  the  poet  laureate.  He  composed  many  hymns  for 
use  at  the  Lord's  Supper ;  among  these  w^ere : — 

"I  own  I  love ;  'tis  no  uncomely  fire." 

"Jesus !  O  word  divinely  sweet." 

"  'Tis  finished,  the  Redeemer  cries." 

"Thus  we  commemorate  the  Day ;"  etc.,  etc. 

There  were   many   others   on   the   Sabbath   and  baptism, 

6       or    • 

"Blest  Day!     Ordained  of  God,  and  therefore  blest." 

"See  how  the  willing  converts  trace." 

"The  great  Redeemer  we  adore." 

"Thus  was  the  great  Redeemer  plunged,"  etc.,  etc. 

But  the  h}mn  for  which  he  is  chiefly  remembered,  found 
perhaps  in  all  standard  church  hymn  books,  is  that  begin- 
ning— 

"Another  six  days  work  is  done." 

Multitudes  sing  this  hymn  to-day  and  apply  it  to  Sun- 
day, the  first  da}'  of  the  week ;  but  the  author  wrote  it  for  the 
seventh-day  Sabbath  of  Jehovah,  of  which  he  was  a  faithful 
keeper  all  his  life  and  an  ardent  defender. 

His  version  of  the  Song  of  Solomon,  and  his  hymns,  se- 
cured for .  him  such  a  reputation  as  a  poet  and  a  Hebrew 
scholar,  that  he  was  requested  to  revise  the  English  version 
of  the   Psalms   of   David.     Dr.    .Sharp.   Archbishop    of  York, 


THE  SABBATH  IN  ENGLAND.  99 

speaking  of  this  proposition,  declared  that  "he  had  heard  such 
a  character  of  Mr.  Stennett,  not  only  for  his  skill  in  poetry, 
but  likewise  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  that  he  thought  no  man 
more  fit  for  that  work  than  he." 

In  1702,  when  David  Russen  assailed  the  Baptists  in  his 
book,  "Fundamentals  Without  a  Foundation,  or  a  True  Picture 
of  the  Anabaptists,"  Mr.  Stennett  was  invited  to  refute  the 
work;  and  he  accomplished  the  task  with  so  much  learning, 
such  solid  reasoning,  and  such  an  utter  rout  of  all  the  forces 
of  Mr.  Russen,  that  he  was  satisfied  never  again  to  meddle 
with  the  Baptists.  The  reputation  acquired  by  this  work 
prompted  his  friends  to  secure  his  services  in  writing  a  com- 
plete History  of  Baptists.  He  intended  to  comply  with  this 
request,  and  for  some  years  he  collected  materials  for  it ;  but 
on  account  of  failing  health  he  was  unable  to  finish  the  task. 
After  his  death,  however,  this  history  was  edited  and  publish- 
ed with  his  other  works  in  five  octavo  volumes,  in  1732. 

He  was  offered  preferment  in  the  Established  Church, 
and  there  is  reason  to  believe  he  could  have  reached  an  exalt- 
ed position  in  it.  An  eminent  prelate  is  said  to  have  remark- 
ed to  an  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Stennett,  "that,  if  he  could  but 
be  reconciled  to  the  church,  not  many  preferments  in  it,  he  be- 
lieved, would  be  thought  above  his  merit."  But  the  conscience 
of  Mr.  Stennett  was  not  for  sale,  though  all  the  wealth  of 
earth  had  been  offered  for  it. 

His  health  seriously  declining,  on  advice  of  his  physi- 
cians he  left  London  for  change  of  air  and  went  to  the  house 
of  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Morton,  at  Knaphill  in  Bucking- 
hamshire; here  he  declined  rapidly  and  peacefully  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus,  July  11,  1713,  in  the  forty-ninth  year  of  his  age  and 
the  twenty-third  of  his  ministry.  A  lengthy  and  most  appre- 
ciative epitaph  in  Latin  was  written  by  his  friend,  Dr.  Ward, 
of  Gresham  College,  and  placed  on  his  tombstone;  a  transla- 
tion of  which  may  be  seen  in  "The  Sabbath  Memorial"  (Lon- 
don, 1883),  page  384. 

56.  Stennett,  Joseph,  D.  D.,  II.  Dr.  Joseph  Stennett 
('2nd)  was  born  in  London  November  6,  1692.  He  was  the 
son  of  Joseph  and  Susannah  Stennett.  His  educational  ad- 
vantages, of  which  he  made  the  best  use,  were  of  the  highest 


lOO  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

order.  He  became  a  noted  linguist,  and  an  adept  in  the  use 
of  the  French,  the  ItaHan  and  the  Hebrew  languages.  His 
only  sister  became,  by  his  instruction,  so  familiar  with  the 
Greek  and  Hebrew  languages  that  she  was  able  to  read  the 
Scriptures  in  those  languages  as  readily  as  she  could  in  the 
English. 

When  fifteen  years  of  age  he  gave  his  heart  to  the  Saviour 
and  was  baptized.  At  twenty-two  he  entered  upon  the  Chris- 
tian ministry.  He  was  at  one  time  solicited  to  become  the 
pastor  of  Mill  Yard  church,  but  declined.  It  was  quite  cus- 
tomary in  those  days  for  a  seventh-day  minister  to  serve  a 
first-day  church;  and  so  Dr.  Stennett,  at  the  age  of  forty-five, 
became  pastor  of  a  Baptist  church  in  Little  Wild  street,  Lon- 
don, although  himself  a  faithful  Sabbath-keeper  to  the  day  of 
his  death.  Dr.  Gill  preached  one  of  the  two  sermons  deliv- 
ered on  the  occasion  of  his  settlement  in  London.  At  that 
time  he  was  in  possession  of  splendid  powers,  matured  by  a 
wide  range  of  experience,  and  by  information  from  all  ages 
and  regions. 

He  was  among  the  most  eloquent  preachers  of  his  day. 
and  soon  his  talents  were  recognized  throughout  the  great 
metropolis.  Lie  was  on  agreeable  terms  with  Dr.  Gibson, 
Bishop  of  London ;  a  true  follower  of  Jesus.  He  was  per- 
sonally known  to  King  George  II.,  who  cherished  a  warm 
regard  for  him.  He  was  an  eloquent  defender  of  the  doc- 
trines of  grace  against  Socinianism. 

On  behalf  of  the  Dissenting  ministers  of  the  "Three  de- 
nominations in  London  (Congregational,  Baptist  and  Presby- 
terian), on  October  3,  1745,  Mr.  Stennett  presented  an  ad- 
dress to  the  King  congratulating  his  majesty  on  his  return  to 
England,  on  the  triumph  of  his  arms  in  America,  and  on  his 
.-nKcesses  on  the  Continent  of  Europe."  The  address  also 
deprecates  "the  present  unnatural  attempt  to  impose  upon 
these  kingdoms  a  papist  (Charles  Edward)  and  an  abjured 
Pretender." 

In  1754  the  University  of  Edinburg  created  him  Doctor 
of  Divinity  on  the  recommendation  of  his  royal  highness  the 
Duke  of  Cumberland,  its  Chancellor,  who  sent  Mr.  Stennett 
the  diploma  by  his  secretary. 


KI'.V.   SAMUI'-.L  STl'.NXl-TT.  1 ).   H. 
See    Bin  graph,  ■ill  I    SIcelihrs.    p.  1361. 


THE    SABBATH    IN    ENGLAND.  lOI 

•    He  was  the  author  of  eight  small,  but  valuable,  works. 
Dr.   Stennett  died  February   7,    1758,   in  the    sixty-sixth 
year  of  his  age.     His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr. 
Gill,  and  in  it  he  stated  that  "his  death  was  a  public  loss,  par- 
ticularly to  the  whole  Dissenting  interest." 

57.  Stennett,  Joseph,  III.  Joseph  Stennett  (3rd)  was 
the  son  of  Joseph  Stennett  (2nd),  and  in  1740  became  his 
lather's  assistant  at  Little  Wild  Street  Baptist  church ;  after 
serving  with  his  father  for  two  or  three  years  he  became  the 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Coats,  Oxfordshire.  Not 
much  besides  this  is  known  of  him,  except  that,  like  his  father 
and  grandfather  he  was  a  faithful  keeper  and  defender  of  the 
Sabbath.     He  died  in  1769. 

58.  Stennett,  Samuel,  I.  Samuel  Stennett  (ist)  was 
the  son  of  Rev.  Joseph  Stennett  (ist).  After  a  few  faithful 
years  as  his  father's  assistant  in  the  pastorate  of  Pinner's  Hall 
church,  his  promising  career  was  suddenly  ended  by  death. 

59.  Stennett,  Samuel,  D.  D.,  II.  Dr.  Samuel  Stennett 
was  born  in  Exeter,  in  1727,  and  was  converted  and  baptized 
when  young.  Like  his  father  he  was  a  man  of  superior  talents 
and  of  great  erudition.  Ivimey  says: —  "His  proficiency  in 
Greek,  Latin  and  Oriental  tongues,  and  his  extensive  acquaint- 
ance with  sacred  literature,  are  so  abundantly  displayed  in  his 
valuable  works  that  they  cannot  fail  to  establish  his  reputation 
for  learning  and  genius." 

He  had  been  accustomed  to  move  in  the  society  of  per- 
sons of  refinement ;  and  on  entering  upon  his  pastoral  duties 
in  London  he  was  remarkable  for  the  ease  and  suavity  of  his 
manners,  for  the  good  breeding,  the  polished  language,  and 
the  graceful  ways  of  the  true  gentleman.  He  was  frequently 
in  company  w'ith  persons  enjoying  the  highest  social  distinc- 
tion and  in  such  situations  as  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  com- 
mend Baptists  and  aid  Dissenters  of  all  denominations. 

In  1763  he  was  made  a  Doctor  of  Divinity  by  King's  Col- 
lege, Aberdeen.  Among  the  noble  men  who  waited  upon  his 
ministry  and  loved  him  with  the  afifection  of  a  friend  was  John 
Howard,  the  philanthropist.  In  a  letter  from  Smyrna,  writ- 
ten to  Dr.  Stennett  August  11,  1786,  Mr.  Howard  says: —  "I 
biess  God  for  your  ministry ;  I  pray  God  to  reward    you  a 


I02  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

thousand    fold.     ^ly    friend,    you    have    an    honorable    work  ; 
many  seals  you  have  to  your  ministry."' 

He  ministered  to  the  Little  Wild  street  church  as  his 
father's  assistant  for  ten  years ;  and  as  its  pastor,  after  his 
father's  death,  for  thirty-seven  years.  The  meeting  house  was 
rebuilt  during  his  ministry.  His  father,  Joseph  Stennett,  D. 
D. ;  his  grandfather,  Joseph  Stennett ;  his  great-grandfather, 
Edward  Stennett;  his  brother,  Joseph,  and  his  son,  Joseph, 
were  all  Baptist  ministers — and  Sabbath-keepers. 

Dr.  Samuel  Stennett  was  a  hymn  writer  of  note.  He 
wrote  the  beautiful  and  well  known  hymn,  "Majestic  sweetness 
sits  enthroned  upon  the  Saviour's  brow;"  also  "On  Jordan's 
stormy  banks  I  stand." 

Most  of  his  works  were  reprinted  in  1784  in  three  octavo 
volumes.  In  1772  he  published  a  work  entitled  "Remarks  on 
the  Christian  Ministei's  Reasons  for  Administering  Baptism 
by  Sprinkling."  In  1775,  "An  Answer  to  the  Christian  Min- 
ister's Reasons  for  Baptizing  Infants."  He  was  also  author 
of  two  productions  treating  of  appeals  to  Parliament  by  Prot- 
estant Dissenters  for  relief  from  persecuting  enactments. 

He  died  August  24,  1795,  in  the  sixty-eighth  year  of  his 
age. 

60.  Stuart,  Charles  James.  Dr.  Stuart  was  born  in  1758 
and  died  about  the  year  1828.  He  was  considered  singular 
in  his  own  city,  Edinburgh,  for  holding  Seventh-day  Baptist 
views.  This  seemed  all  the  more  peculiar  to  those  who  knew 
him,  not  only  because  he  was  alone,  but  also  because  of  his 
position — having  inherited  the  estate  of  Dunearen,  being  re- 
lated to  the  nobility  of  his  coimtry,  and  having  in  his  veins 
tlie  royal  blood  of  the  Stuarts. 

He  was  educated  for  the  regular  ministry  of  the  Church 
f)f  Scotland,  and  for  a  time  had  charge  of  the  parish  of  Cra- 
mond ;  but  from  this  he  was  suspended  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly for  refusing  to  administer  the  rite  of  baptism  and  the  ordi- 
nance of  the  Lord's  Supper  to  any  but  believers.  He  there- 
upon withdrew  from  the  church ;  and  further  study  of  the 
Bible  led  him  to  become  a  Baptist — connecting  himself  with 
the  Scotch  Baptist  Church. 


THE     SAr.r.ATH     IN"     EXGLAXO.  lO^ 

Haviiii;"  been  checked  in  his  career  as  a  minister  of  the 
jjospel.  he  now  took  a  me(hcal  course  and  henceforth  devoted 
his  Hfe  to  the  practice  of  medicine ;  in  this  profession  he  be- 
came successful  and  celebrated,  having-  extensive  practice  in 
the  first  families  of  the  land. 

After  a  few  years  in  the  Baptist  church,  he  was  constrain- 
ed to  sever  his  relations  with  this  people  on  account  of  his 
conviction  as  to  the  Sabbath — having;  become  convinced  from 
careful  Bible  stud\-  that  the  seventh-day  was  the  only  Sab- 
bath of  the  Lord.  After  this,  although  without  ecclesiastical 
connections,  he  maintained  Christian  fellowshi])  with  the 
pious  of  all  denominations,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  patron- 
ize the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  of  England.  He  was  an 
intimate  friend  of  .\ndrew  Fuller,  Carey,  Marshman,  and 
Ward. 

He  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Erskine,  D.  I^. 

He  was  wealthy  and  also  very  benevolent. 

It  is  said  of  Dr.  Stuart,  that,  "as  a  Hebraist  and  Biblical 
critic,  he  was  not  surpassed  b}'  many,  if  by  any,  in  the  comi- 
try." 

Thus  lived  and  died  a  lone  .Sal)bath-keeper,  v\n)n  to  the 
truth  by  the  faithful  study  of  the  Word  of  (IckI  alone — that 
Word  which  liveth  and  abideth  forever. 

6r.  Taniiy,  Philip.  Mr.  Tanny  was  educated  in  the 
Church  of  Eng^land,  and  became  a  minister  in  the  same;  but 
having  changed  his  views  as  to  baptism  and  the  Sabbath,  he 
began  at  once  to  s])read  abroad  the  truth  as  he  now  saw  it. 
He  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of  ])iety  and  learning,  remarka- 
bly active  and  zealous  in  ])ronuilgating  the  truth — and  that 
he  became  "a  mark  for  many  shots."  In  prosecuting  his  work, 
he  held  several  public  disputes.  His  field  of  lalior  was  in  the 
northern  i)art  of  b'ngland. 

Mrs.  Tamar  Davis,  in  her  "History  of  Sa^bbatarian 
(  hurches,"  calls  him  Philip  I'andy,  but  this  is  a  mistake;  he 
A\as,  however,  sometimes  called  "Tandy,"  as  he  himself  tes- 
tifies. His  only  ])ublication  in  existence,  so  far  as  we  know. 
i^  a  sermon  on  Rev.  3:  20,  entitled,  "Christ  Knocking  at  the 
Door:  the  substance  of  a  sermon   inti'uded  to  be  preached   in 


I04  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Pauls  upon  the  Sabbath  Day  which  fell  upon  April  15th  last; 
but  not  preached — by  Philip  Tanny,  commonly  Tandy,  1655.'" 

This  sermon  was  dedicated  to  Oliver  Cromwell,  and  the 
dedication  is  signed  "Philip  Tanny  vulgo  Tandy." 

Of  the  time  of  his  birth,  and  other  facts  of  his  life  than 
those  given  above,  we  have  at  present  no  knowledge.  The 
date  of  his  published  sermon  shows  that  he  was  alive  as  late 
as  1655. 

62.  Tempest,  Sir  Williaui.  William  Tempest  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Inner  Temple,  a  lawyers'  guild  of  London,  May  9, 
1692 ;  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  July  2,  1704.  He  became 
a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  in  1712.  He  was  baptized  at 
his  home,  Cran  brook,  March  28,  1725,  and  joined  Mill  Yard 
September  2,  1732.  He  was  a  lay  preacher  and  often  occu- 
pied the  Mill  Yard  pulpit  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  the 
pastor  and  people.  ((Gleaned  from  "The  Mill  Yard  Publica- 
tions.") Mr.  Tempest  is  styled  "the  conscientious  barrister- 
at-law,  and  poet."  If  a  case  came  up  for  trial  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  he  would  plead  the  case  lest  injustice  be  done  his  client, 
but  he  would  take  no  pay  for  such  services.  As  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  he  was 
chosen  a  trustee  of  the  Davis  Charity ;  and  in  this  he  succeed- 
ed Mr.  Davis  himself.  The  church  record  is  as  follows  :— 
"Whereas  our  honored  brother,  Joseph  Davis,  Esq.,  departed 
this  life  the  9th  of  March,  1732;  who  was  a  Trustee  for  Mill 
Yard ;  the  Trustees  undermentioned  have  unanimously  chosen 
William  Tempest,  Esq.,  in  the  room  and  place  of  the  above  de- 
ceased Mr.  Joseph  Davis,  for  a  Trustee  of  Mill  Yard,  being  a 
member  of  the  congregation  of  Mill  Yard,  London,  September 
3,  1732."  This  was  signed  by  Elder  Cornthwaite  and  five 
other  Trustees. 

Sir  William  Tempest  died  August  15.  1761. 

63.  Tillam,  Thomas.  Elder  Thomas  Tillam  appears  as 
the  pastor  of  two  different  Seventh-day  Baptist  churches :  one 
in  Hexham  (from  165 1  to  1654  at  least),  Northumberland, 
England,  a  market  town  on  the  Tyne  river,  twenty  miles 
west  of  Newcastle ;  the  other  in  Colchester,  Essex,  some  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  southeast  of  Hexham.  As  to  the  first 
pastorate  he  is  said  to  have  organized  the  first  Baptist  church 


SIR  WILLIAM  TEMPEST.  E.  R.  S. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1361. 


.     THE    SABBATH     IN    ENGLAND.  IO5 

in  Northumberland  County,  of  which  he  became  the  first  pas- 
tor. 

As  to  the  second,  we  learn  from  one  of  his  books  that  he 
was  the  minister  of  a  church  of  two  hundred  baptized  believ- 
ers in  Colchester,  all  keeping  the  seventh-day  Sabbath.  He 
wrote  and  published  a  hymn  in  celebration  of  the  event  of  the 
two  hundred  joining  in  the  Lord's  Supper  on  the  Lord's  Sab- 
bath. 

Robert  Cox  quotes  from  Cowell,  who  says  of  the  Sabba- 
tarians of  his  day,  ''they  were  no  small  ones  either,  amongst 
that  people,  as  Thomas  Tillani,  Christopher  Pooley,  Edward 
Skipp,  John  Fox,  etc." 

Some  of  his  writings  indicate  that  he  was  greatly  perse- 
cuted on  account  of  his  principles,  and  one  of  his  books  is 
styled  '"A  present  from  prison." 

He  was  the  author  of  a  number  of  works: —  In  165 1  he 
published  "The  Two  Witnesses ;  their  Prophecy,  Slaughter, 
Resurrection  and  Ascension  or  an  Exposition  of  Revelation, 
chapter  eleven."  In  1654,  "Banners  of  Love  Displayed  over  the 
Church  of  Christ,  walking  in  the  order  of  the  gospel  at  Hex- 
ham. An  answer  to  a  Narrative  stuffed  with  untruths  by 
four  Newcastle  Gentlemen."  The  preface  of  this  book  is  dat- 
ed "Hexham,  1653  ;"  and  in  the  book  he  states  that  "sprink- 
ling is  not  baptism." 

In  1655  he  issued  a  work  entitled,  "The  fourth  principle 
of  Christian  Religion :  or  the  foundation  doctrine  of  Laying 
on  of  Hands,  asserted  and  vindicated."  This  was  a  reply  to 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Paul  Hobson,  who  had  asserted  the  oppo- 
site. The  laying  on  of  hands  seems  to  have  been  generally 
practiced  by  the  early  Seventh-day  P»aptists  in  America  as  well 
as  in  England. 

His  last  book,  of  whicii  we  have  knowledge,  appeared  in 
T657,  entitled,  "The  Seventh-day  Sabbath  sought  out  and  Cel- 
ebrated :  in  answer  to  Mr.  Aspinwall's  late  piece  against  the 
Sabbath."  This  was  replied  to  by  William  Jennison.  in  "A 
Lash  for  a  Liar:  or  a  Word  of  Warning  to  all  Christians  to 
take  heed  of  Thomas  Tillam,  who  is  now  discovered  by  his 
jireaching  and  iiriiuing  to  l)e  a  common  slanderer  of  as  many 


I06  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

as  are  contrary  to  his  opinions."'  1658.  An  answer  was  also 
made  to  Tillam's  book  by  "(1.  T."  in  1659. 

Thomas  Grantham,  in  a  work  pubhshed  in  1678,  in  his 
chapter  "Of  the  Seventh-day  Sabbath,"  refers  to  Thomas  Til- 
lam  as  an  "Apostate  from  the  Gospel,"  and  again  as  "that  pro- 
digious apostate"  who  had  incumbered  truth  "with  his  Jewish 
ceremonies."  He  speaks  of  him  as  "T.  Tillam  of  Colchester," 
showing  that  he  was  still  pastor  there  as  late  as  1678. 

So  the  enemies  of  the  Sabbath  maligned  this  man  of  God, 
and  illustrated  again  the  proverb  that  when  a  cause  lacks  good 
arguments,  mud  and  stones  are  apt  to  be  resorted  to.  But  the 
truth  stands  forever,  while  the  names  of  its  enemies  perish  and 
are  forgotten. 

64.  Toiiibes,  JoJui.  J.  Davis'  History  of  the  Welsh 
Baptists  (p.  41)  shows  Mr.  Tombes  to  have  been  a  Baptist, 
strongly  defending  immersion  as  the  only  Scripture  baptism. 
In  Joseph  Stennett's  answer  to  David  Russen's  book  on  bap- 
tism, London,  1704  (page  249),  he  quotes  from  the  House  of 
Lords  as  saying:  "There  was  a  very  learned  and  famous 
man  that  lived  at  Salisbury,  Mr.  Tombes,  who  was  a  zealous 
(Jonformist  in  all  points  but  one.   Infant  Baptism." 

And  now  as  to  the  Sabbath :  Mr.  Tombes  was  the  author 
of  an  able  work  on  "Christian  Baptism,"  and  fourteen  other 
polemical  works,  published  in  England  during  the  Protecto- 
rate of  Oliver  Cromwell.  A  quotation  from  his  work  on 
Christian  Baptism  (pages  674,  675)  is  a  strong  argument  for 
the  seventh-day  Sabbath.  Mr.  Stennett  says  that  some  Pedo- 
baptists  observe  the  seventh-day  while  they  remain  in  the  com- 
munion of  the  Church  of  England. 

There  is  then  fair  evidence  that  Mr.  Tombes  was  a  rep- 
resentative of  a  numerous  class  of  ministers  in  those  days  who 
remained  in  the  Establishment,  or  in  some  Dissenting  body, 
and  at  the  same  time  strictly  observed  and  faithfully  defended 
the  Sabbath  of  the  Bible. 

65.  Tozvnsciid,  Edmund.  We  first  know  of  Air.  Town- 
send  as  the  second  pastor  of  Natton  Seventh-day  Baptist 
church  (succeeding  Elder  John  Purser  about  1720).  He  did 
not  remain  here  long,  however,  but  removed  to  London,  and 
became  a  member  of  the   M\\\  Yard  church.     On  December 


THE    SABBATH     IX     EXGLAND.  IO7 

3.  1727,  lie  was  ordained  as  the  successor  of  Joseph  Stennett 
(1st),  who  had  died  in  1713.  After  Mr.  Stennett's  death  the 
congregation  at  Pinner's  Hall  had  moved  to  Cripplegate,  so 
that  Elder  Townsend  is  spoken  of  as  "Pastor  of  the  Cripple- 
gate  Fraternity."  The  records  state  that  '"The  Chi:rch  gave 
themselves  up  to  Mr.  Edmund  Townsend." 

Ivimey  says : —  "He  was  a  worthy  and  respectable  man  ; 
and  though  not  particularly  distinguished  for  literary  attain- 
ments, was  yet  a  useful  minister,  and  greatly  esteemed  in  his 
day.  He  died  January  5,  1763,  having  been  for  some  time 
previous  rendered  incapable  of  preaching.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  the  burial  ground  behind  the  Baptist  Meeting 
House  in  Mill  Yard,  where  he  had  buried  his  wife  a  few  years 
before.  She  appears  to  have  died  in  the  year  1755,  in  the 
sixty-eighth  year  of  her  age." 

66.  Traske,  John.  This  name  is  variously  spelled,  Trask, 
Trasque  and  Thraske.  Mr.  Traske  was  probably  born  about 
the  year  1583;  but  we  know  nothing  of 'his  early  life.  He  be- 
came a  school  teacher,  and  must  have  enjoyed  something  of  a 
liberal  education ;  although  he  is  said  not  to  have  been  a  uni- 
^ersity  man.  He  is  accredited  with  being  a  Latin  scholar, 
and  as  having  studied  Hebrew  and  Greek  while  in  prison  for 
his  religious  views. 

We  first  know  of  him  as  a  schoolmaster  in  Somersetshire, 
where  he  seems  to  have  sought  ministerial  orders,  which  were 
refused  him  by  the  Establishment.  He  then  removed  to  Sal- 
isbury, w^here  he  became  a  Puritan,  and  ol)tained  the  "orders" 
which  he  desired.  After  this  he  came  to  London,  in  just  what 
year  is  uncertain:  Rev.  George  B.  Utter  puts  it  in  1618,  about 
the  time  that  the  Book  of  Sports  for  Sunday  was  published 
under  the  direction  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  King 
James  I;  Rev.  Dr.  William  'SI.  Jones  says  that  Mr.  John  Trask 
came  to  London  in  161 7;  however,  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  his  pioneer  work  was  begun  in  the  metropolis  as  early  at 
least  as  1616. 

As  to  his  religious  views  and  teachings,  we  have  already 
noted  that  at  first  he  was  in  the  fellowship  of  the  FZstablishcd 
Church,  and  that  subsequently  he  adopted  the  views  of  the 
Puritans;  such   were   his  convictions  on  coming  to  I^ondon. 


T08  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Being  a  man  of  strong  personality,  and  most  zealous  as  a  revi- 
val preacher  (preaching  much  upon  the  streets  and  in  public 
places),  he  soon  had  a  large  number  of  followers,  who  were 
called  "Traskites."  Among  these  was  one  Hamlet  Jackson 
(whom  he  afterward  ordained  as  an  evangelist),  who,  through 
searching  of  the  Scriptures,  was  led  to  embrace  the  Bible  Sab- 
bath, and  through  whose  influence  it  is  said  that  Mr.  Traske 
and  others  were  brought  to  like  views.  Traske  began  at  once 
with  all  earnestness  to  propagate  the  Sabbath  doctrine;  and 
from  among  the  many  who  were  won  by  him,  no  doubt  sprang 
the  nucleus  of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  church. 

As  a  result  of  his  advocacy  of  the  Scriptures  as  sulificient 
to  direct  in  all  religious  services,  and  the  duty  of  the  State 
not  to  impose  anything  contrary  to  the  Word  of  God,  great 
opposition  was  awakened  and  his  enemies  became  very  bitter 
against  him ;  he  was  denounced  as  "a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing, 
a   seducing  imposter,  and  cunning  deceiver." 

Failing  to  silence  him  in  any  other  way,  he  was  arrested 
by  the  authorities,  and  brought  before  the  infamous  Star 
Chamber  presided  over  by  Bishop  Andrews,  who  made  a  long 
speech  against  his  views.  The  indictment  against  him  was 
that  of  Judaizing,  seeking  to  make  "Christian  men,  the  people 
of  God,  his  majesty's  subjects,  little  better  than  Jews,  both  in 
the  matter  of  abstaining  from  eating  meats  which  the  Jews 
were  forbidden  in  Leviticus,  and  that  they  were  bound  to  ob- 
serve the  Jewish  Sabbath.''  Writing  and  preaching  in  de- 
fence of  the  Sabbath  was  his  "crime."  Paggitt's  Heresiog- 
raphy  says  that  he  "was  sentenced,  on  account  of  his  being  a 
Sabbatarian,  to  be  set  upon  the  pillory  at  Westminster,  and 
from  thence  to  be  whipped  to  the  Fleet  prison,  there  to  remain 
a  prisoner  for  three  years."  Another  account  says  he  was 
"tied  to  the  cart's  tail  and  whipped  all  the  way  to  Fleet  prison, 
probably  about  two  miles,  there  to  remain  a  prisoner."  Still 
another  account  adds  that  his  sentence  included  the  branding 
Oi  the  letter  "F'  upon  his  forehead.  The  sentence  against  him 
was  executed  in  full. 

For  some  reason,  not  now  known,  he  made  a  recantation 
December  i,  1619,  and  ceased  to  keep  and  defend  the  Bible 
Sabbath ;  but  the  seed  of  Sabbath  truth  which  he  had  sown 


THE    SABBATH    IN    ENGLAND,  IO9 

has  never  ceased  to  bear  fruit.  It  may  be  noted  incidentally 
that  if  he  remained  in  prison  the  full  three  years,  and  was  re- 
leased in  December,  16 19,  his  evangelistic  work  in  London 
must  have  been  as  early  at  least  as  1616. 

Among-  his  published  works  were.  Sermon  on  Alark  16: 
16,  published  in  1615;  A  Treatise  of  Liberty  from  Judaism, 
etc.,  in  1620,  when  leaving  the  Sabbath  ;  The  Power  of  Preach- 
ing, in  1623;  A  Letter  to  Mistress  Traske,  who  lay  prisoner  in 
the  Gatehouse  many  years  for  keeping  the  Jewish  Sabbath, 
and  for  working  on  our  Lord's  Day,  and  signed  T.  S.,  De- 
cember 26,  1634;  The  True  Gospel,  etc.,  in  1636. 

Various  works  were  published  against  him  at  different 
times.  Among  these  were  the  Speech  by  Bishop  Andrews  ni 
the  Star  Chamber,  against  the  Judaical  opinions  of  Traske ; 
A  Treatise  maintaining  that  Temporal  Blessings  are  to  be 
sought  and  asked  with  submission  to  the  will  of  God — also 
a  discovery  of  the  late  dangerous  errors  of  Mr.  John  Traske 
and  most  of  his  strange  assertions,  by  Edward  Norrice,  1636; 
The  New  Gospel  not  the  True  Gospel,  or  a  discovery  of  the 
life  and  death,  doctrines  and  doings  of  Mr.  John  Traske,  and 
the  eft'ects  of  all  in  his  followers.  Wherein  a  mysterie  of  iniqui- 
ty is  briefly  disclosed,  a  Seducer  unmasked,  and  all  warned  to 
beware  of  imposters,  by  Edward  Norrice,  1638. 

As  to  his  death — he  was  living  December  26,  1634,  when 
he  wrote  to  his  wife  in  prison,  and  he  was  probably  alive  when 
he  published  "The  True  Gospel"  in  1636;  and  yet  he  must 
have  been  dead  when  Edward  Norrice  wrote  of  his  "late  dan- 
gerous errors"  in  1636.  Hence  he  must  have  died  sometime 
within  the  year  1636;  not  later,  certainly,  than  1638,  when 
Norrice  wrote  of  the  "Life  and  Death,  doctrines  and  doings 
of  Mr.  John  Traske." 

He  died  in  the  house  of  one  of  his  followers  in  Lambeth, 
nnd  was  buried   in   Lambeth   Churchyard. 

67.  Traske,  Mrs.  John.  The  wife  of  John  Traske  well 
deserves  mention  in  any  list  of  ancient  English  Seventh-day 
Baptists.  It  is  easy  to  believe  that  she  was  indeed  a  woman 
"endowed  with  many  and  particular  virtues."  As  to  her  birth, 
parentage,  and  many  other  matters  of  interest,  we  are  in  ig- 
norance; but  what  is  known  renders  her  memory  fragrant. 


no  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

She  must  have  been  a  person  of  considerable  learning, 
since  she  successfully  conducted  a  private  preparatory  classi- 
cal school.  She  would  teach  for  no  less  per  pupil  than  four- 
teen pence  per  week,  but  she  would  sometimes  return  a  part 
of  the  tuition  to  poor  parents,  or  in  the  case  of  a  student  from 
whom  she  thought  she  deserved  not  so  much ;  all  this,  it  is  said, 
she  did  "out  of  conscience  and  as  believing  that  she  must  one 
day  be  judged  for  all  the  things  done  in  the  flesh."  Her  esti- 
mate of  punctuality  was  shown  in  that  she  would  not  receive 
any  child  whose  parents  would  not  send  him  (or  her)  prompt- 
ly at  seven  in  the  morning,  and  send  the  child's  breakfast  at 
nine  o'clock.  Testimony  as  to  her  skill  as  a  teacher  is  given 
by  Ephraim  Pagitt  in  the  following  words : —  "There  was 
found  hardly  any  one  that  could  eqifal  her  for  so  speedy  be- 
ginning children  to  read.  She  taught  a  son  of  mine  who  had 
only  learned  his  letters  in  another  place,  at  the  age  of  four 
years,  in  the  space  of  nine  months,  so  that  he  was  fit  for  the 
Latin  into  which  he  was  then  entered."  That  she  was  very 
popular  as  a  teacher,  is  clear  from  the  fact  that  parents  were 
so  eager  to  send  their  children  to  her  school  that  she  was  oblig- 
ed to  make  a  rule  to  receive  only  so  many  as  she  could  prop- 
erly teach,  and  yet  many  were  "waiting  their  turn  for  admit- 
tance for  a  very  long  time  ahead." 

But  that  which  has  preserved  her  memory  until  this  time 
was  her  Christian  spirit,  her  love  of  truth  and  her  long  and 
fatal  sufferings  for  the  truth  she  held  dear.  She  was  one  of 
the  most  noted  and  faithful  of  her  husband's  converts  to  the 
Sabbath,  never  forsaking  it  as  did  he;  but  for  this  devotion 
she  was  called  to  suffer.  When  it  was  discovered  that  she  did 
not  honor  Sunday,  and  would  not  teach  in  her  school  on  Sat- 
urday, she  was  arrested  and  cast  into  prison — first,  Maiden 
I.ane,  and  then  Gatehouse — where,  for  Sabbath-keeping,  she 
suffered  "fifteen  or  sixteen  years,"  until  released  by  death. 

Some  of  the  characteristics  of  her  faith  and  her  independ- 
ent spirit  are  shown  in  an  account  by  a  contemporary  (Eph- 
raim Pagitt),  who  was  not  friendly  to  the  Sabbath: — 

"Mistress  Trask  lay  for  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  a  prisoner 
for  her  opinions  about  the  Saturday-Sabbath;  in  all  which 
lime  she  would  receive  no  relief  from  anybody,  notwithstand- 


THE    SABBATH     IN    ENGLAND.  I  I  I 

ing  she  wanted  much,  alleging  that  it  is  written,  'It  is  a  more 
blessed  thing  to  give  than  to  receive.'  Neither  would  she  bor- 
row. She  deemed  it  a  dishonor  to  her  head,  Christ,  either  to 
beg  or  borrow.  Her  diet  for  the  most  part  of  her  imprison- 
ment, that  is  till  a  little  before  her  death,  was  bread  and  water, 
roots  and  herbs.  No  flesh,  nor  wine,  nor  brewed  drink.  She 
charged  the  keeper  of  the  prison  not  to  bury  her  in  church  nor 
churchyard,  but  in  the  fields  only ;  which  accordingly  was 
done.  All  her  means  was  an  annuity  of  forty  shillings  a 
year;  what  she  lacked  more  to  live  upon,  she  had  of  such 
prisoners  as  did  employ  her  sometimes  to  do  business  for  them. 
But  this  was  only  within  the  prison,  for  out  of  the  prison  she 
did  not  go;  so  she  sickened  and  died." 

Confined  in  the  same  prison  was  a  Mr.  Richard  Love- 
lace, who  was  there  because  of  his  royalist  sympathies ;  while 
there  he  wrote  the  poem,  "To  Althea  from  Prison."  In  the 
following  lines  he  is  supposed  to  refer  to  Mrs.  Traske : 

"Stone  walls  do  not  a  prison  make. 

Nor  iron  bars  a  cage ; 
Minds  innocent  and  quiet  take 

That  for  a  heritage." 

The  date  of  Mrs.  Trask's  imprisonment  is  not  certain ; 
but  if  Lovelace  was  imprisoned  from  1643  to  1654  (as  it  is 
said),  it  seems  probable  that  her  term  may  have  overlapped 
that  in  part. 

68.  Whcaton,  Elder  .  Elder  Wheaton  ap- 
pears to  have  been  pastor  of  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  at 
Swanzey,  Wales,  as  late  at  least  as  1730.  The  "Baptist  Cyclo- 
pedia" in  an  article  on  "The  Ilollis  Family,"  says: —  "In  a  let- 
ter to  Elder  Wheaton,  of  Swanzey,  Thomas  Hollis  writes — 
God,  that  hath  shincd  into  our  hearts  by  his  gospel,  can  lead 
you  sleeping  Sabbatarians  from  the  Sinai  covenant  and  the 
law  of  ceremonies  into  the  light  of  the  new  covenant  and  the 
grace  thereof.  T  pity  to  see  professors  drawing  back  to  the 
law,  and  desire  to  remember  that  our  standing  is  by  grace." 

Thomas  Hollis,  an  eminent  and  liberal  patron  or  benefac- 
tor of  Harvard  in  Massachusetts,  was  born  in  1659  and  died 
in   173 1  :  he  was  baptized  and  became  a  P)aptist  in   i67<),  but 


112  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

did  not  go  as  far  as  the  Sabbath.  His  letter,  however,  indi- 
cates clearly  that  W  heaton  was  a  Seventh-day  Baptist,  and 
presided  over  a  congregation  of  snch. 

69.  JVIiistoii,  JFilliain.  William  Whiston  is  mentioned 
by  Elder  Black  in  Mill  Yard  Publications,  "Lays  and  Le- 
gends," as  the  ejected  Mathematical  Professor  of  Cambridge, 
a  learned  and  voluminous  writer.  Though  an  Episcopalian 
Clergyman,  he  advocated  and  observed  the  seventh-day  Sab- 
bath." 

The  Encyclopedia  Britannica  (24-578)  gives  him  over  a 
column  and  speaks  of  him  as  leaving  the  Church  of  England 
in  1747  and  becoming  a  Baptist.  He  was  born  in  1667,  and 
died  August  22,  1752. 

70.  Whitewood,  Thomas.  Li  1767  Mr.  Thomas  White- 
wood  became  the  successor  of  Edmund  Townsend  as  pastor 
of  Pinner's  Hall  church,  and  is  said  to  have  died  the  same 
}'ear.  He  appears  to  have  come  from  Portsmouth,  Hampshire. 
He  was  one  of  the  subscribers  to  Dr.  Gill's  Sermons  and 
Tracts;  and  wrote  in  1764  a  letter  to  Rev.  S.  Pike  with  re- 
marks on  his  Sermon  on  Faith.  He  was  a  scholarly  man 
and  in  his  writings  makes  free  use  of  Greek. 

71.  Wilkinson,  Thomas.  Thomas  Wilkinson  was  born 
in  1823  and  died  February  9,  1903.  He  was  a  regular  Bap- 
tist, and  is  not  entitled  to  a  place  in  this  record  but  for  the 
fact  that  he  was  the  pastor  of  Natton  Church  from  1870  until 
his  death — thirty-three  years   (although  a  Sunday  man). 

y2.  Wynciip,  N.  Mr.  Wyncup  is  mentioned  by  Gilfil- 
•ian  in  a  list  of  two  dozen  Sabbatarians.  In  1731  he  published 
a  book  entitled  "Remarks  on  Dr.  Wright's  Treatise  on  the 
Religious  Observance  of  the  Lord's  Day — in  which  the  Indi- 
vidual Obligations  Remaining  on  the  Christian  Church  to  the 
Religious  observance  of  the  Seventh  Day,  are  stated  and  vin- 
dicated." 

A  copy  of  this  book,  with  many  still  older  Sabbath  writ- 
ings, may  be  seen  in  Alfred  University  Library. 

The  above  list  of  Sabbath  advocates  and  defenders — pas- 
tors, authors,  etc.,  is  simply  representative  and  suggestive;  of 
many,  all  records  have  perished ;  of  others,  we  find  but  the 
name,  and  possibl}^  a   single  item  of  information  concerning 

C7) 


THE    SABBATH     IN     ENGLAND.  II3 

them,  as.  for  example: —  Eliza  Bedford  wrote  in  1716  "The 
Widow's  Mite,"  showing  why  the  Seventh-day  is  to  be  kept  in 
Christ;  James  Oxley  in  1882  published  "'The  Seventh-day 
of  the  Week  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord;"  James  Scott,  in  1874, 
"The  Only  Sabbath-day  by  Divine  Appointment;"  Mehetable 
Smith,  in  1683,  wrote  a  part  of  Henry  Soursln's  "Discourse  on 
the  Sabbath." 

Names  of  living  writers  on  the  Sabbath  question  are  not 
included  in  the  purpose  of  this  histor}-. 

These  ancient  worthies,  though  dead,  yet  speak  to  us ; 
they  bid  us  let  not  the  sacred  cause  of  truth,  for  which  they 
sacrificed  everything,  perish ;  they  bid  us  be  of  good  courage, 
the  Lord  will  give  the  final  victory.  Li  1520  Luther  said  of 
Carlstadt,  "Indeed  if  Carlstadt  were  to  write  further  about 
the  Sabbath,  Sunday  would  have  to  give  way,  and  the  Sab- 
bath— that  is  to  say,  Saturday — must  be  kept  holy."  Keep  on 
with  faithful,  persistent  testimony, .  and  Saturday  alone  will 
vet  be  known  onlv  as  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Manual  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptists.  Rev.  George  B. 
Utter.     1858. 

History  of  Sabbath  and  Sunday.  A.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D. 
1886. 

Jubilee  Papers.  1892.  Article  by  Rev.  W.  M.  Jones, 
pp.  9-18. 

Sunday  Legislation.     A.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.     1902. 

History  of  the  Anglo  Saxons.     Sharon  Turner. 

Origin  and  Independence  of  the  Ancient  British  Church. 
Bp.  Burgess.     1815. 

Chronicles  of  the  Ancient  British  Church.  James  Yeo- 
well.     1847. 

Religion  of  Ancient  Briton.  George  Smith,  F.  A.  S. 
London.     1846. 

Annals  of  the  Ancient  British  Church.  Rev.  T.  Watson. 
London.     1862. 

History  of  the  Government  of  the  Church  in  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland.     Bishop  Lloyd.     London.     1703. 

Ancient    British    Church.     John    Pryce.     London.     1878. 

Church  History  of  Britain.  Thomas  Fuller.  London. 
1868. 

History  of  the  Church;  A.  D.  305-445.  Socrates. 

History  of  the  Ancient  Piedmont  Church.  Allix.  Lon- 
don.    1690. 

History   of  the   Puritans.     Daniel   Neale.     1855. 

Treatise  on  the  Sabbath.     Bishop  White.     London.  1635. 

General  History  of  the  Baptist  Denomination.  David 
Benedict.     1848. 

History  of  the  Welsh  Baptists;  A.  D.  63-1770. 

Baptists.     T.  G.  Jones. 

History  of  English  Baptists.     Crosby. 

History   of   the   Baptists.     Thomas   Armitage.     1887. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church.     William  Jones.     1824. 

History  of  the  Sabbath.     William  B.  Maxson.     1853. 

Literature  of  the  Sabbath  Question.  Robert  Cox,  F.  S. 
A.  Scot.     London.     1865. 


THE    SABBATH    IN    ENGLAND.  II5 

Vcneral)le  Bede's  Eccl.  History  of  England.  J.  A.  Giles, 
D.  C.  L.     London.     1890. 

The  Church  in  Scotland.  James  C.  Moffat,  D.  D.  Phila- 
delphia.    1882. 

Celtic  Scotland.     William  F.  Skene. 

Scottish  History.     Hector  Boethius. 

History   of   Ireland.     Sylvester   O'Halleron. 

English  in  Ireland  in  i8th  Century.  Froude.  New 
York.     1881. 

Roger  de  Hovedon's  Annals;  A,  D.  732-1201.     London. 

'853. 

The  Hermits.     Charles  Kingsley.     1868. 

Dictionary  of  National  Biography. 

Mill  Yard  Publications :  The  Last  Legacy  of  J.  Davis  Sr. 
Black.     London,     1869. 

Genealogy  of  the  Chamberlens.     Aveling. 

History  of  Free  Churches  in  England.  H.  S.  Skeats. 
J  869. 

History  of  the  Baptists.  Joseph  Ivimey.  4  vols.  181 1. 
1830. 

Files  of  The  Sabbath  Recorder. 

Bampton  Lectures. 

History  of  Sabbatarian  Baptists.     Mrs.  Tamar  Davis. 

Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial. 

Cyclopedia  of  Biblical,  Theological  and  Ecclesiastical  Lit- 
erature,    Mc,  &  S, 

Baptist  Encyclopedia.     Cathcart.     1881. 

History  of  Conference.     James  Bailey. 

History  of  the  Sabbath.     Peter  Heylyn. 

The  Sabbatarians  in  Transylvania.  Samuel  Kohn.  1896. 
(German.) 

Sabbath  Afcmorial.     W.  M.  Jones.     1875-1890. 


SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS 
IN  AMERICA, 

1664.  TO  1802. 


REV.  LEWIS  ALEXANDER  PLATTS,   D.  D. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1361. 


SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  AMERICA 
PREVIOUS  TO  1802. 


Rev.   L.    A.   Platts. 


The  writer  of  this  paper  does  not  claim  for  his  work  the 
merit  of  originality.  He  has  sought  to  bring  together  in  a 
more  connected  form  material  the  most  of  which  has  been 
before  published  in  fragments.  He  acknowledges  his  indebt- 
edness to  The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial,  published  in 
1852,  3,  4;  James  Bailey's  History  of  the  General  Conference, 
1866;  The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Quarterly,  1884;  sundry  arti- 
cles published  at  different  times  in  The  Sabbath  Recorder;  A 
History  of  Washington  County,  R.  I.,  found  in  the  Library 
of  Milton  College,  and  to  Mr.  C.  H.  Greene,  of  Alfred,  N.  Y., 
for  some  unpublished  data  gathered  by  him  from  various 
records  to  which  he  has  recently  found  access.  The  writer 
has  verified  some  points,  especially  in  the  New  Jersey  history, 
by  his  own  examination  of  original  records. 

INTRODUCTION. 
The  history  of  the  first  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  America 
is  a  chapter  of  that  general  struggle  for  religious  liberty  and 
the  rights  of  conscience  which  is  so  familiar  to  the  student  of 
our  colonial  times.  It  is  the  purpose  of  this  paper  to' describe 
briefly  the  origin  of  this  people  in  America,  and  trace  their 


120  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

growth  to  the  organization  of  the  General  Conference  in  1802. 
This  will  be  done,  after  this  Introduction,  under  five  heads, 
viz. :  First  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  America  ;  Church  Exten- 
sion ;  Doctrinal  Standards;  Religious  Spirit  and  Life;  Business 
and  Public  Life. 

The  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world  was  heralded 
by  the  song  of  "Peace  on  earth,  good  will  toward  men ;"'  and 
the  Bringer  of  the  good  tidings  was  called,  with  the  utmost 
appropriateness,  "The  Prince  of  Peace."  With  great  pro- 
priety it  should  be  expected  that  the  followers  of  the  Prince, 
possessing  his  spirit,  would  bear  the  same  good  tidings  to  the 
dwellers  of  all  lands,  and  in  the  final  outcome,  make  an  end 
of  all  bitterness  and  strife.  Notwithstanding  this  reasonable 
expectancy,  it  is  an  acknowledged  fact  that,  of  all  controver- 
sies waged  by  men,  none  have  been  characterized  by  greater 
vehemence  and  bitterness  than  those  which  have  grown  out  of 
difi'erences  in  religious  faith  and  practice.  It  is  not  the  prov- 
ince of  this  paper  to  inquire  after  the  causes  of  this  paradoxical 
phenomenon,  but  its  bearing  upon  the  origin  of  Seventh-day 
Baptists  in  America  cannot  be  ignored.  The  particular 
phases  of  religious  belief  and  practice  for  which  men  have 
striven  and  suffered  have  been  many  and  varied ;  the  processes 
of  the  struggle  have  been  essentially  the  same.  He  who  has 
dared  to  believe  outside  of  the  prescribed  creed,  or  to  act  con- 
trary to  the  established  ritual,  has  first  been  ridiculed,  then 
denounced,  and  finally  persecuted  until  he  has  been  compelled 
to  leave  the  church  which  he  has  vainly  hoped  to  reform  and 
take  his  stand  alone  for  a  better  way.  If  his  cause  has  been 
worthy,  there  have  gathered  about  him  others  of  similar  faith 
and  experience,  and  thus  has  been  born  a  movement  which 
has  become  of  world-wide  importance.  Thus  when  Martin 
Luther  framed  his  immortal  theses  against  the  corruptions 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  it  was  his  sole  purpose  to  correct  the 
abuses  against  which  he  raised  his  clarion  voice.  His  sepa- 
ration from  the  church,  which  he  loved,  and  the  Protestant 
Reformation,  with  which  his  name  will  always  be  associated, 
formed  no  part  of  his  original  thought  or  plan.  The  great 
Protestant  movement  was  the  result  of  the  efforts  of  the 
church  to  force  him  and  his  followers  into  unquestioning  sub- 


THE    SABBATH    IX    AMERICA.  121 

mission  to  the  iron  tyranny  of  the  Papacy.  The  controver- 
sies of  the  next  centnry,  which  arose  within  the  Protestant 
church,  resulted  iti  a  similar  way  in  a  separation  of  the  Inde- 
pendents from  the  l-jiglish  Estahlishcd  Church,  giving  what 
ii"  more  familiarly  known  as  the  Puritan  movement.  A  little 
later,  the  English  I5aptists  were  compelled  to  become  inde- 
pendent of  the  Independents,  or  stifle  their  convictions  on  the 
question  of  Bible  baptism.  The  Baptist  rule,  applied  to  the 
Bible  teaching  concerning  the  Sabbath,  made  many  of  these 
Baptists  Seventh-day  Baptists ;  and  these,  too,  soon  found  that 
all  hope  of  reform  within  the  church  was  hopeless,  and  were 
compelled  to  take  their  stand  alone  for  conscience's  sake. 

As  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  cause  in  America  dales  back 
almost  to  Plymouth  Rock  and  the  jNIayflower,  a  brief  state- 
ment of  conditions  at  that  time  seems  necessary  to  a  proper 
understanding  of  its  origin. 

During  the  first  decade  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the 
church  of  Independents  at  Scrooby,  England,  in  order  to  es- 
cape the  growing  intolerance  of  the  Established  church,  had 
emigrated,  under  the  leadership  of  John  Robinson,  to  Hol- 
land. Ten  years  of  experience  suf^ced  to  convince  them  that 
the  liberty  of  conscience  which  they  sought  was  not  to  be 
found  in  that  country.  Face  to  face  with  failure  if  they  re- 
mained, and  almost  certain  of  sorer  trials  should  they  return 
to  England,  they  determined  to  try  their  fortunes  in  the  new 
world.  Accordingly,  after  many  discouragements,  and  great 
suffering,  the  ever-famous  Mayflower  band  of  Pilgrims  landed, 
December  20,  1620.  at  Plymouth  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay 
Colony,  and  began  that  struggle  for  life  and  the  rights  of  con- 
science for  which  they  had  already  sufl:'ered  much,  and  were 
destined  to  suffer  yet  much  more.  Soon  their  numbers  were 
increased  by  other  emigrants  from  Holland  and  by  larger  num- 
bers who  fled  from  the  cruel  t\ranny  of  .\rchlMshop  Laud  in 
England.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  these  sufferers  for  con- 
science's sake  began,  almost  from  the  beginning  of  their  set- 
tlement, to  formulate  their  doctrines  and  practices  into  laws 
which  were  quite  as  severe  against  those  who  dissented  from 
them  as  were  those  of  the  motiier  church  from  which  they 
had   fled.     To  escape  these  severities  cr)lonists  of  the  Baptist 


12 J  SEVENTH-nAY    BAPTISTS: 

faith  pressed  their  way  through  the  unbroken  forests  to  the 
New  Haven  Colony,  now  Connecticut.  Here  again  they  were 
driven  from  place  to  place  until  finally  they  took  a  more  united 
stand  on  the  island  of  Rhode  Island,  where  now  stands  the 
city  of  Newport.  Here  was  organized  the  first  Baptist  church 
in  the  colonies,  which  was  destined  to  become  the  principal 
source  of  the  great  Baptist  family  of  churches  in  the  United 
States.  These  Rhode  Island  settlements,  including  Newport, 
Providence  and  Portsmouth,  soon  became  the  basis  of  the 
Rhode  Island  Colony,  afterwards  assuming  the  more  preten- 
tious name  of  the  State  of  Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plan- 
tations. Foremost  among  the  names  of  the  m.en  who  carried 
these  movements  to  success  stands  that  of  Roger  Williams. 
Associated  with  him,  and  scarcely  less  efficient  and  influen- 
tial in  this  pioneer  work  were  Samuel  Hubbard,  the  Clarkes — 
John,  Thomas  and  Joseph — and  a  number  of  others,  some  of 
whose  names  have  become  household  words  in  many  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  homes  to  the  present  day. 

I.  FIRST  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS. 
About  the  year  1664,  Mr.  Stephen  Alumford,  a  member 
of  the  Bell  Lane  Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  in  London, 
came  to  Rhode  Island,  and  finding  no  church  of  his  faith,  he 
affiliated  with  the  Baptist  church  in  Newport.  During  the 
next  few  years,  a  number  of  the  members  of  that  church  em- 
braced his  views  concerning  the  Sabbath  and  the  perpetuity 
of  the  Ten  Commandments.  Prominent  among  these  were 
Samuel  and  Tacy  Hubbard  and  their  daughter,  Rachel ;  Wil- 
liam Hiscox,  Roger  Baster,  Nicholas  Wild  and  wife  and  John 
Solmon  and  wife.  Most  of  these  had  sufifered  with  the  Puri- 
tans for  their  faith  and  thus  were  trained  for  the  trials 
through  which  they  were  soon  to  pass.  It  was  not  their  in- 
tention to  sever  their  connection  with  the  Baptist  church,  for 
they  thought  surely  a  people  who  had  suffered  as  the  Baptists 
iiad  done  for  Bible  baptism  would  fellowship  those  who  ob- 
served and  defended  the  Bible  Sabbath.  They  soon  discov- 
ered, however,  that,  even  in  the  church  of  Roger  Williams, 
liberty  of  conscience  meant  liberty  to  believe  and  practice  ac- 
cording to  established  dogmas  and  decrees.  Elder  John  Clark, 
Mark  Luker  and  Obadiah  Holmes,  who  were  leaders  in    the 


THE   SABBATH    IX    AMERICA.  1 23 

church,  began  lo  preach  against  the  practice  of  the  Sabbath- 
keepers  and  to  denounce  them  as  lieretics  and  schismatics.  Mr. 
Clark,  especially,  taught  that  the  whole  of  the  Ten  Command- 
ments was  done  away,  and  that,  therefore,  these  Sabbath-keep- 
ers had  denied  Christ  and  gone  back  to  the  "beggarly  ele- 
ments." His  associates,  while  not  always  agreeing  with  his 
doctrines  concerning  the  law,  were  quite  agreed  in  opposing 
the  course  of  these  Sabbath-keepers.  The  controversy  became 
so  sharp  that  four  of  the  number — Nicholas  Wild  and  wife 
and  John  Solmon  and  wife  gave  up  the  struggle  and  returned 
to  First-day  keeping.  This  was  not  only  a  serious  loss  to  the 
little  company,  but  it  also  complicated,  in  no  small  degree, 
their  relations  to  the  church.  The  tension  of  feeling,  caused 
by  the  controversy,  had  already  raised  the  question  of  the  pro- 
priety of  taking  the  communion  with  the  church.  Now  that 
four  of  their  number,  who  had  been  enlightened  on  the  Sab- 
bath truth  and  who  had  forsaken  it,  were  still  members  and 
regular  communicants  in  the  church,  the  question  of  commun- 
ing with  them  became  more  difficult.  After  much  prayer  they 
decided  that  they  could  not  commune  with  these  persons  and 
consequently  could  not  commune  with  the  church.  This 
brought  the  case  to  an  open  trial.  The  Sabbath-keepers  were 
cited  to  appear  before  the  church  and  show  cause  why  they 
had  denied  Christ  not  only  in  going  to  Moses  for  the  Law, 
but  had  again  denied  him  in  refusing  the  emblems  of  his  body 
and  blood.  They  joyfully  appeared  at  the  appointed  time  and 
place,  expecting  a  fair  hearing.  But  they  soon  found  that  the 
purpose  of  the  meeting  was  not  to  hear  the  reasons  for  their 
faith  and  practice,  but  to  point  out  to  them  their  "error,"  and 
to  compel  them  to  abandon  it.  When  they  proposed  that 
William  Hiscox  speak  for  the  company,  in  which  they  were 
all  agreed,  the  church  persistently  refused  to  hear  him.  After 
a  long  controversy,  in  which  feelings,  on  both  sides,  grew 
more  intense,  the  accused  came  to  consider  themselves  the  ag- 
grieved rather  than  the  offending  party,  and  Tacy  Hubbard 
"gave  forth  the  grounds"  for  their  grievance  in  three  pointed 
items : 

T.    The  apostasy  of  those  four  persons. 

2.     That  speech  of  Brother  Holmes,  "Woe  to  the  world 


124  SEVENTH-DAY    BAI'TISTS  : 

because  of  offenses:""  in  whicli  discourse  he  said.  "Offenses  arc 
such  as  arise  from  brethren  of  the  church,  such  as  deny  Christ, 
and  have  turned  to  Moses  in  observing-  days,  times,  years, 
etc.,  and  that  it  is  better  that  a  mill-stone  were  hanged  about 
the  neck  of  such,  and  they  be  cast  into  the  sea."" 

3.  The  dismal  laying  aside  of  the  ten  precepts  together 
with  the  leading  brethren  denying  of  them  at  the  meeting. 

In  the  discussions  wdiich  followed,  Elder  Hiscox,  and 
Tacy  and  Samuel  Hubbard  stoutly  defended  both  the  posi- 
tions which  they  held  and  their  right  to  hold  them,  in  precise- 
ly the  same  way  as  that  in  which  they,  together  with  those 
who  are  now  0])posing  them,  had  defended  the  cause  of  the 
Baptists  in  the  Puritan  controversy.  They  also  bore  grateful 
testimony  to  the  joy  they  found  in  keeping  God's  Holy  Sab- 
l-ath.  Failing  to  obtain  any  relief  from  the  strain  of  the  situa- 
tion, and  becoming  convinced  that  they  cotild  not  keep  the 
Sabbath  and  walk  in  fellowship  with  the  church,  the  faithful 
five  formally  withdrew  December  7,  1671.  A  little  later,  De- 
cember 23,  1671,  they,  with  Stephen  Mumford  and  wife,  seven 
in  all,  entered  into  solemn  covenant  with  each  other,  as  the 
First  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  of  Newport — the  first  church 
of  that  faith  on  the  American  continent. 

In  the  year  1684,  only  thirteen  years  after  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  first  church  of  Newport,  Abel  Noble  came  to 
America  and  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Bucks  County, 
Pennsylvania,  about  twenty-five  miles  north  of  Philadelphia, 
and  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  west  of  Trenton,  N.  J. 
It  has  been  generally  believed  that  Mr.  Noble  was  a  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  preacher  in  England.  Data  more  recently  discov- 
ered lead  to  the  conclusion  that  this  was  a  mistake.  What  his 
chiuxh  connection  was  is  not  clear;  but  soon  after  his  settle- 
ment in  Pennsylvania  he  began  to  travel  somewhat  extensive- 
ly in  various  sections  of  New  Jersey,  where  he  met  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Chillingworth,  an  eminent  Baptist  preacher,  who  was 
befieved  to  have  organized  the  first  IJaptist  church  in  New 
Jersey  at  Piscataway,  near  New  Brunswick.  B3'  him  Mr. 
Noble  was  baptized.  At  this  time  there  were  large  numbers 
of  Quakers  in  the  vicinitv  of  Philadeli")hia  both  in  New  Jer- 


THE   SABBATH    IN   AMERICA.  1 25 

sey  and  rennsx  Ivania.  Among  these  there  arose  a  dissension 
concerning  the  sut^ciency  of  the  "Inner  Light"'  and  the  vahic 
of  the  Scriptures  as  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  This  result- 
ed in  a  division,  large  numbers  embracing  substantially  the 
Baptist  doctrine  under  the  leadership  of  George  Keith.  Abel 
Noble  appears  to  have  been  prominent  among  these  people, 
where  he  seems  to  have  had  great  influence.  Not  far  from 
this  time,  while  on  a  tour  through  East  New  Jersey,  Mr. 
Noble  met  the  Rev.  William  Gillette,  M.  D.,  from  Saybrook, 
or  Alilford,  Conn.,  who  was  a  Seventh-day  Baptist,  and 
through  his  teaching  Mr.  Noble  accepted  the  Sabbath  doctrine 
and  returned  to  his  home  to  proclaim  it.  Through  his  labors 
a  considerable  number  of  the  Keithian  Baptists  were  converted 
to  the  Sabbath,  concerning  whom  more  will  be  said  in  the  next 
chapter  of  this  paper. 

In  the  last  decade  of  the  seventeenth  century,  Edmund 
Dunham  was  a  deacon  and  licensed  preacher  in  the  Baptist 
church  at  Piscataway,  New  Jersey.  In  1702  he  took  occasion 
to  reprove  a  ^Ir.  Bonham  for  performing  labor  upon  the  First 
day  of  the  week.  Whereupon  ]\Ir.  Bonham  challenged  him 
for  the  proof  that  it  was  sin  to  labor  on  that  day.  Whether 
Mr.  Bonham  was  a  Sabbath-keeper  or  not  is  not  clear ;  but  the 
challenge  caused  ^Ir.  Dunham  to  make  a  thorough  investiga- 
tion of  the  whole  subject,  which  resulted  in  his  conversion  to 
the  Sabbath.  The  whole  community  appears  to  have  been 
deeply  stirred  over  the  matter  and  many  people  betook  them- 
selves to  a  prayerful  study  of  the  Scriptures,  and  a  number  of 
persons  were  led  to  acknowledge  the  claims  of  the  Sabbath. 
Like  the  little  band  at  Newport,  little  more  than  a  generation 
before,  it  was  not  the  intention  of  these  brethren  to  separate 
themselves  from  the  Baptist  church.  But  the  agitation  be- 
came so  strong  and  the  feeling  on  both  sides  so  intense  that 
the  only  hope  of  peace  and  the  enjoyment  of  freedom  of  speech 
and  practice  lay  in  their  separation  and  the  organization  of  a 
Seventh-day  Baptist  church.  This  was  accomplished  in  the 
summer  of  1705  under  the  name  of  the  First  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Church  of  Piscataway,  New  Jersey.  It  was  composed 
of  17  members.  From  these  three  centers — Newport,  Phila- 
delphia and  Piscataway.  the  truth  (if  tlic  Sabbath,  following  the 


126  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

tides  of  emigration  westward,  moved  forward  in  three  distinct 
lines. 

II.     CHURCH  EXTENSION. 

From  the  organization  of  the  first  church  at  Newport  in 
1671  to  the  organization  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General 
Conference  in  1802,  the  period  covered  by  this  paper,  was  131 
\ears.  They  were  eventful  years  in  the  history  of  the  coun- 
try— years  of  consecrated  Christian  living,  of  clear  thinking 
and  of  earnest  defense  and  propagation  of  religious  truth,  as 
well  as  years  of  hard  fought  battles  for  civil  and  political  lib- 
erty. The  pioneer  Seventh-day  Baptists  were  men  and 
women  of  marked  character.  They  bore  well  their  part  in 
all  these  great  movements. 

The  little  church  at  Newport  grew,  both  by  the  coming  of 
Seventh-day  Baptists  from  England  and  by  frequent  conver- 
sions to  the  Sabbath  in  the  colony ;  but  whether  by  one  method 
or  the  other,  the  new'  accessions  were  accessions  of  real 
strength. 

The  first  pastor  was  William  Hiscox,  one  of  the  first  Sab- 
bath converts  under  the  teaching  of  Stephen  Mumford.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  ability  and  sterling  integrity.  He  was 
chosen  by  the  Baptist  church  in  Newport  to  defend  the  Bap- 
tist faith  in  an  open  discussion  with  the  Puritans  in  Boston,  af- 
ter he  had  become  widely  known  as  a  Seventh-day  Baptist 
and  the  pastor  of  a  church  of  that  faith.  As  was  to  liave  been 
expected  the  church  grew  rapidly  under  his  able  and  faithful 
ministry.  A  considerable  number  having  settled  in  the  town 
of  Misquamicutt,  afterward  called  Westerly,  on  the  main  land, 
meetings  were  held  among  them  as  well  as  upon  the  island. 
Mr.  Hiscox  was  assisted  in  his  labors  during  the  latter  part 
of  his  pastorate  by  Elder  William  Gibson,  who  was  a  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  preacher  in  London,  England,  before  coming  to 
America.  On  the  death  of  Elder  Hiscox,  in  1704,  after  a 
fruitful  pastorate  of  33  years.  Elder  Gibson  became  the  pas- 
tor in  full  charge,  and  continued  in  the  ofiice  for  the  next  13 
years.  In  the  early  part  of  his  pastorate,  1708,  a  church  on 
the  main  land  was  organized.  At  first  this  church  was  known 
as  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  of  Westerly;  but  years  af- 
terwards, when  the  township  was  divided  and  the  northwest- 


THE   SABBATH    IX    AMERICA.  127 

ern  part  became  the  town  of  Hopkinton.  the  churcli  took  the 
name  of  the  First  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  of  Christ  in 
Hopkinton,  the  name  by  which  it  is  still  known.  This  step 
was  not  taken,  however,  without  nuich  thous^hl  and  earnest 
prayer,  for,  though  the  number  of  those  residing  in  Westerly 
was  rapidly  outgrowing  the  number  remaining  in  Newport, 
and,  although  the  advantage  of  having  a  church  with  the  or- 
dinances of  the  gospel  in  their  midst  was  apparent  to  all,  the 
common  experiences  and  labors  of  those  who  had  stood  to- 
gether for  a  generation,  had  formed  ties  too  strong  to  be 
easily  severed.  It  was  not  until  some  plan  for  joint  meetings 
of  the  two  churches,  and  apparently  for  the  interchange  of 
ministerial  labor  had  been  made  that  the  Newport  brethren 
consented  to  the  division.  As  early  as  1696,  twelve  years 
before  the  organization  of  the  church  in  Westerly,  an  Annual 
Meeting  was  appointed  to  be  held  at  Newport,  at  w-hich  it  was 
expected  that  all  the  brethren  from  the  mainland,  as  well  as 
those  upon  the  island,  should  be  present.  This  annual  meeting 
was  continued  through  this  entire  period  and  may  be  regarded 
as  the  nucleus  around  which  the  General  Conference  was  fin- 
ally gathered.  As  the  number  of  members  grew  and  the  diffi- 
culty of  getting  a  general  attendance  at  Newport  increased, 
the  sessions  began  to  be  held  in  Westerly.  These  meetings 
were  occasions  of  great  spiritual  refreshing.  The  preaching 
was  with  much  fervor,  strengthening  and  encouraging  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  awakening  the  careless,  and  often  leading  multi- 
tudes to  the  foot  of  the  cross  for  peace  and  pardon.  In  the  reg- 
ular work  of  .the  two  churches,  although  each  had  its  own  pas- 
tor, there  appears  to  have  been  much  preaching  and  pastoral 
work  performed  interchangeably,  or  in  co-operation.  Eld. 
Gibson,  the  second  pastor  of  the  Newport  church,  resided  in 
W'esterly  both  while  assistant  to  Eld.  Hiscox  and  after  he 
became  his  successor.  The  third  of  the  Newport  pastors  was 
Joseph  Crandall,  who  served  the  church  contimiously  for  37 
years.  During  this  long  period  sixty  persons  were  added  to 
the  church  by  baptism.  He  was  followed  by  John  Maxson, 
^^  ho  served  the  church  24  years,  under  whose  labors  nearly  as 
many  more  were  added  to  the  church. 

The  next   and   last  pastorate  of  this  period   was  tiiat  of 


128  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Wm.  JJliss,  which  extended  from  1779  to  1808,  six  years 
beyond  the  org-anization  of  the  General  Conference.  During 
this  pastorate  ninety-five  were  added  to  the  cliurch.  \\'hile  the 
figures  can  not  be  accurately  given,  it  is  probable  that  not  less 
than  250  persons,  during  these  years,  were  added  to  the  New- 
port church,  although  at  the  organization  of  the  Conference 
the  church  reported  80  members.  Making  a  liberal  allowance 
for  losses  by  death  and  some  falling  away  from  the  faith,  there 
must  have  been  a  large  number  who  had  moved  to  other  local- 
ities. Without  doubt,  the  larger  part  of  these  united  with  the 
church  at  Westerly,  which,  meanwhile,  had  grown  to  a  mem- 
bership of  more  than  600,  living  in  Western  Rhode  Island, 
Eastern  Connecticut  and  the  eastern  end  of  Long  Island.  The 
scattered  condition  of  the  church  made  the  labors  of  the  pas- 
tor arduous,  so  that  for  much  of  the  time,  men  were  called  by 
the  church  to  the  ministry  and  ordained  as  assistant  pastors,' 
and  not  infrequently  deacons  were  given  authority  to  admin- 
ister the  ordinances  as  occasion  might  require.  On  account 
of  this  joint  pastorship,  it  is  difficult  to  give,  with  accuracy, 
the  succession  of  pastors  of  the  Westerly  church.  Among  them 
we  find  the  names  of  John  Maxson,  Sen.,  John  ]\Iaxson,  Jr., 
Thos.  Hiscox,  Thos.  Clarke,  Joshua  Clarke,  John  Burdick, 
and  others. 

Before  the  organization  of  the  Conference,  settlements 
had  been  extended  to  New  London,  Conn.,  where  a  church 
was  organized  in  1784;  to  the  Little  Hoosic  Valley,  in  Rens- 
selaer County,  New  York,  where  a  church  was  organized  in 
1780,  which  took  the  name  of  Hoosic,  later  Petersburg,  and 
now  Berlin ;  and  to  Brookfield,  in  Aladison  County,  New  York, 
where  the  First  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  of  Brookfield  was 
organized  in  1797.  All  of  these  churches  continue  until  the 
present  time.  Besides  these,  churches  were  organized  along 
this  route  of  emigration,  which  have  long  since  ceased  to 
exist,  but  some  of  which  contributed  largely  to  the  strength 
and  growth  of  our  people  in  other  localities.  Chief  among 
these  were  Burlington,  Conn.,  1780, — Bristol,  Conn.,  some- 
times called  Farmington,  1790, — and  Oyster  Pond,  L.  I.,  about 
1790.  Besides  these  organized  churches,  there  were  small 
groups  of  Sabbath-keepers,  or  families  of  lone  Sabbath-keep- 

(8) 


THE    SABBATH    IX'    AMERICA.  I29 

ers,  all  along  this  line.  From  Oyster  Pond,  Long  Island,  from 
Saybrook,  Conn.,  where  lived  the  Gillette  family,  and  from 
Rhode  Island,  originated  the  church  in  Monmouth  County, 
New  Jersey,  sometimes  called  the  church  of  .Squam.  These 
nine  churches,  the  result  of  the  New  England  movement,  were 
all  in  active  existence  at  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the 
Conference  and  numbered,  in  all,  about  1.200  members. 
The  church  last  named  had  a  short  and  somewhat  i)eculiar 
history.  It  was  organized  in  1745,  ancl  about  1790,  under  the 
lead  of  its  third  pastor,  the  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  it  removed 
bodily  to  Woodbridgetown,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania, 
where  a  church  was  organized  which  reported  to  the  Confer- 
ence as  late  as  1853.  The  pastor,  and  a  few  others,  soon  after 
the  settlement  at  Woodbridgetown,  resumed  the  line  of  emi- 
gration, until  they  reached  New  Salem,  Mrginia.  now  Salem, 
West  Virginia.  Three  or  four  years  later  than  this,  Eld.  Davis 
returned  to  Woodbridgetown  on  a  missionary  visit,  where  he 
was  taken  sick  and  died.  His  descendants,  in  large  numbers, 
continue  till  the  present  time,  and  form  a  considerable  part  of 
the  Sabbath-keepers  in  W^est  Virginia,  and  elsewhere.  It  is 
said  that  there  has  not  been  a  generation  of  this  family  with- 
out a  representation  in  the  ministry  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist church  from  Wm.  Davis,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1682, 
to  the  present  time, — a  period  of  221  years,  the  writer  of  this 
paper  being  one  of  the  number.  The  venerable  Samuel  D. 
Davis  of  Jane  Lew,  West  Virginia,  is  a  grandson  of  Eld.  Jacob 
Davis,  above  mentioned. 

The  Seventh-day  Baptist  movement  begun  by  Abel  Noble 
among  the  Keithian  Quaker  Baptists,  near  Philadelphia,  had 
a  rapid  development.  Almost  within  the  first  quarter  of  the 
1 8th  century  there  had  sprung  up  four  or  five  churches  of 
considerable  size  among  these  people.  Comparatively  little  is 
known  of  them  now,  but  we  have  the  names  of  French  Creek, 
Pennepek,  Upper  Providence,  Nottingham,  and  Newtown. 
We  also  have  the  names  of  several  men  who  preached  to  the 
people  of  these  churches.  Foremost  among  these  stands  the 
name  of  Abel  Noble,  though  no  record  has  been  found  which 
would  indicate  that  he  was  ever  a  member  of  any  of  the 
churches.    After  him  is  Enoch  David,  some  of  whose  descend- 


130  SEVEXTH-DAY     liAl'lISTS  : 

ants  are  still  living  among  our  people,  and  then  follow  'riionias 
Martin,  William  and  Philip  Davis,  Lewis  Williams.  Thomas 
Rutter— and  possibly  some  others,  concerning  whom  little  is 
known,  except  that  they  were  preachers  of  the  Gospel  in  these 
churches.  While  each  church  had  its  own  place  of  meeting 
and  maintained  its  own  appointments  for  worship,  they  had  a 
Yearly  Meeting,  which  all  were  expected  to  attend.  As  the 
churches  were  located  in  adjoining  counties,  this  was  not  diffi- 
cult. While  this  Yearly  Meeting  was  sometimes  held  with  one 
church  and  sometimes  with  another,  Newtown  appears  to  have 
been  the  principal  place  of  assembly,  which  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  this  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  stronger  churches. 
To  a  Yearly  Meeting  held  at  French  Creek,  in  1745,  the  church 
at  Piscataway,  New  Jersey,  sent  Jonathan  Dunham  for  ordi- 
nation. This  service  was  performed  by  Elder  Lewis  Williams 
and  Abel  Noble. 

One  of  these  churches,  probably  Nottingham,  was  located 
close  to  the  line  between  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  and  some 
of  its  members  lived  in  Cecil  County  in  the  latter  named  state. 
Among  these  were  several  families  of  Bonds  who  soon  moved 
on  through  Maryland  and  Delaware,  and  finally  settled  on  Lost 
Creek,  in  Virginia,  thus  forming  a  second  center  from  \\hich 
has  sprung  another  large  part  of  the  Seventh-day  P)aptist 
family  in  West  Virginia  of  the  present  day,  and  thence  spread 
to  various  other  points  throughout  the  denomination.  Other 
families  from  these  churches  took  a  line  of  emigration  still 
further  southward  and  formed  settlements  and  organized 
churches  in  Georgia  and  South  Carolina.  These  little  settle- 
ments were  short  lived,  and  the  active  life  of  the  group  near 
Philadelphia  was  limited  to  this  period,  the  only  visible,  perma- 
nent result  of  the  movement  being  the  portion  which  was  trans- 
planted into  the  Lost  Creek  region.  A  burying  ground  near 
Newtown  still  marks  the  site  of  that  church. 

The  Piscataway  movement,  though  not  as  wide  spread  as 
the  New  England  movement,  was  more  permanent  than  that 
just  described.  At  the  organization  of  the  church  in  1705, 
its  founder,  Edmund  Dunham,  was  chosen  pastor,  and  was  sent 
to  Newport  for  ordination.  The  Yearly  Meeting  convened  that 
year  in  Westerlv,  and  there  Mr.  Dunham  was  ordained  by  Eld. 


THE    SABBATH    IX    AMERICA.  I3I 

Gibson,  the  Newport  pastor.  The  members  of  this  church 
were  widely  scattered  so  that  the  pastor,  in  the  performance  of 
his  duties,  had  to  make  long-  journeys,  which  he  did  either  on 
foot  or  on  horse-back,  covering  the  country  for  a  distance  of 
thirty  or  forty  miles.  Though  the  principal  place  of  meet- 
ing was  at  Piscataway,  regular  meetings  were  also  held  in 
Hopewell  Township,  and  at  Trenton ;  meetings  were  also  held 
at  numerous  other  places,  but  less  statedly  than  at  the  three 
principal  points  just  mentioned.  Eld.  Dunham  performed 
these  labors  for  a  period  of  29  years,  during  which  time  the 
church  grew  to  over  70  members.  His  son,  Jonathan  Dunham, 
succeeded  him,  serving  the  church  for  eleven  years  as  a  • 
licensed  preacher,  rather  than  as  pastor,  finally  accepting  ordi- 
nation, which  took  place  at  the  Yearly  Meeting  at  French 
Creek,  in  Pennsylvania,  as  already  stated.  After  his  ordina- 
tion, he  continued  to  serve  the  church  until  his  death  in  1777. 
a  period  of  32  years,  making  a  continuous  service  of  43  years. 
As  will  be  seen  by  the  date  above  given.  Eld.  Dunham  died  in 
the  early  part  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  New  Jersey  forming 
the  coast  line  between  Eastern  New  York  and  Eastern  Penn- 
sylvania, was  naturally  the  storm  center  of  that  great  contest ; 
and  the  town  of  Piscataway,  lying  in  the  direct  route  between 
the  port  of  New  York  and  the  port  of  Philadelphia,  by  way  of 
Bordentown  and  Trenton,  the  church  at  Piscataway  was 
exposed  to  the  manifold  hardships  of  such  a  struggle — the 
desolations  of  war.  Many  of  its  able-bodied  men,  as  privates 
or  ofificers,  joined  the  patriot  army ;  others  gathered  together 
their  live  stock,  and.  taking  such  of  their  household  effects  as 
they  could  conveniently  carry,  with  their  families,  sought 
greater  safety  in  the  mountains  lying  a  few  miles  to  the  north 
of  them ;  and  still  others,  who  could  not  get  away  or  would  not 
go,  remained  to  give  such  aid  as  they  ct)uld.  from  their  fields 
or  from  their  scanty  stores,  to  the  suffering  patriots,  or  to  see 
their  possessions  wasted  by  the  British  soldiery,  as  the  varying 
fortunes  of  war  might  determine.  Under  these  distressing  con- 
ditions, the  church  was  sadly  broken  up.  There  w^as  no  pastor 
to  hold  the  scattered  remnants  together,  and  for  a  number 
of  years.  Sabbath  meetings  were  held  only  at  irregular  inter- 
vals.    After  the  successful  issue  of  the  great  struggle  the  sur- 


1^2  SEVENTH-DAY  15APTISTS  : 

vivors  returned  from  the  army,  or  from  their  temporar}-  homes 
in  the  mountains,  and  began  to  resume  their  peaceful  vocations 
in  homes  desolated  by  war.  Under  these  conditions.  Eld. 
Nathan  Rogers  came  from  New  London  (Waterford)  Con- 
necticut, and  took  the  pastoral  care  of  the  scattered  flock  in 
1786,  and  during  the  next  eleven  years,  65  persons  were  added 
to  the  church.  He  was  followed  in  1797  by  Eld.  Henry 
McLafferty,  who  was  still  the  pastor  when  the  General  Con- 
ference was  organized  in  1802. 

In  the  decade  between  1730  and  1740,  families  from  dif- 
ferent points  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Piscataway  church, 
made  settlements  on  the  Cohansey  Creek,  in  Cumberland 
County,  New  Jersey,  about  40  miles  south  from  Philadelphia. 
These  were  joined  by  others  from  Shrewsbury,  and  in  1737 
they  were  constituted  a  church  in  sister  relation.  The  first 
pastor  was  Eld.  Jonathan  Davis,  who,  together  with  several 
others  of  that  name,  was  a  descendant  of  a  family  of  Davises, 
who  came  to  this  country  from  Glamorganshire,  Wales,  about 
1649,  ^rid  settled  somewhere  in  New  Jersey.  Subsequently 
they  lived  on  Long  Island,  then  near  Trenton,  N.  J. ;  thence 
they  removed  to  Cohansey.  Somewhere,  probably  in  the  course 
of  this  itinerary,  they  came  in  contact  with  Sabbath-keepers, 
and  most  of  them  appear  to  have  embraced  the  Sabbath.  It  is 
believed  that  Eld.  William  Gillette,  M.  D.,  who  was  a  Sab- 
bath-keeping French  Hugenot  refugee,  was  the  man  through 
whose  influence  this  was  brought  about.  Elder  Davis  served 
the  church  faithfully  and  acceptably  for  32  years,  during  which 
time  the  church  grew  to  several  times  its  original  numbers. 
The  pastor,  at  the  end  of  this  period,  was  Eld.  Nathan  Ayers, 
when  the  church  numbered  80  members.  Within  the  next  ten 
years,  in  181 1,  a  number  of  the  members  of  this  church,  living 
principally  in  Salem  Count}^  north-west  from  the  Cohansey 
settlement,  were  organized  into  the  church  known  as  the  Sev- 
enth-day Baptist  church  of  Marlboro;  and  in  1838,  fifty-one 
members,  principally  of  the  Piscataway  church,  were  duly 
organized  as  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  of  Plainfield,  in 
Union  County.  Thus  this  movement  resulted  eventually  in 
four  churches  in  New  Jersey,  which  with  subsequent  acces- 
sions, have  continued  strong  and  active  to  the  present  <lay. 


THE    SAUDATH    IX    AMERICA.  I33 

Besides  those  who  have  remained  to  maintain  the  Hfe  and  use- 
fulness of  these  churches,  members  have  gone  out  from  tliem 
to  find  a  place  of  usefulness  and  honor  in  almost  every  Sev-' 
enth-day  Baptist  church  of  the  central  and  northern  streams 
of  emigration  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  coasts. 

Thus  from  these  original  centers,  Newport.  Rhode  Island ; 
Philadelphia.  Pennsylvania;  and  Piscataway,  New  Jersey, 
streams  of  Seventh-day  Baptist  emigration  flowed  westward 
through  Connecticut  into  New  York  State,  through  Long 
Island,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  into  \^irginia,  and  south- 
westward  into  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia,  until  in  1802.  there 
were  not  less  than  20  churches  and  settlements  of  Sabbath- 
keepers,  in  nine  or  ten  colonies  or  states,  and  numbering  about 
2,000  members.  Eight  of  these  churches,  being  the  larger  ones, 
numbering  between  1,100  and  1,200  members,  reported  to  the 
General  Conference  at  its  first  anniversary  in   1803. 

III.  DOCTRINAL  STANDARDS. 
As  we  have  already  seen,  the  earliest  Seventh-day  Baptists 
in  America  were  adherents  of  the  Baptist  church.  In  general 
terms,  therefore,  they  may  be  said  to  have  held  the  tenets  of 
that  body,  parting  company  with  them  on  the  doctrine  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  the  perpetuity  of  the  Ten  Commandments.  The 
extreme  Congregationalism  of  the  Baptist  people,  which  gave 
absolute  independence  to  the  individual  church  in  all  matters 
of  discipline,  extended  itself  quite  generally  to  the  adoption  of 
articles  of  faith.  For  this  reason  they  never  had  formal  stand- 
ards of  doctrine  applicable  to  all  churches  in  any  such  sense  as 
such  standards  apply  to  Presbyterian  and  ritualistic  churches. 
Seventh-day  Baptists  were  even  more  independent  than  the 
Baptists,  from  whom  they  came.  If  there  was  general  agree- 
ment between  the  articles  of  faith  of  different  churches,  it  was 
the  agreement  of  individuals  having  common  experiences, 
purposes  and  hopes,  rather  than  the  uniformity  arising  from 
the  acceptance  of  a  creed  imposed  by  some  central,  authorita- 
tive body.  All  Seventh-day  Baptist  creeds,  so  far  as  they  have 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  writer,  have  recognized  the  per- 
son and  attributes  of  God,  together  with  his  sovereign  power 
over  all  his  creatures,  the  nature  and  destiny  of  man.  salvation 
through  Jesus  Christ,  sanctification  by  the  Holy   Spirit,  and 


'34  s!-;\i-;.\  ^ll-!).\^    i;.\i'iisis  : 

the  siifficienc}  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.  They  have  also  generally  added  special  statements 
concerning-  the  Bible  doctrine  of  Baptism,  the  Sabbath,  the 
Lord's  Supper,  the  Resurrection  of  the  dead,  the  judgment  and 
the  future  existence  of  both  the  righteous  and  the  wicked. 

A  few  specifications  will  serve  to  show  where  the  empha- 
sis of  doctrinal  thought  in  these  early  times  was  laid.  For  gen- 
erations, running  down  to,  and  through,  the  period  covered  by 
this  paper,  were  the  parallel  doctrines  of  the  Sovereignty  of 
God,  and  the  Free-will  of  man.  Ultra-Calvanism,  on  the  one 
hand,  exalted  the  Divine  Sovereignty  in  such  a  manner  and  to 
such  a  degree  as  to  render  any  exercise  of  the  human  will  prac- 
tically impossible ;  Ultra-Armenianism,  on  the  other  hand,  gave 
so  much  prominence  to  the  freedom  of  the  human  will,  that 
it  seemed  to  leave  very  little  room  for  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  upon  the  heart  of  a  man  in  his  conversion  or  in  his  sub- 
sequent religious  life.  The  original  Baptists  were  strongly  Cal- 
vinistic.  Leading  men  among  Seventh-day  Baptists  early 
sought  the  medium  groimd  on  which  the  doctrine  of  Divine 
Sovereignty  might  be  held  consistently  with  the  doctrine  of 
the  freedom  of  the  human  will,  without  which,  they  held, 
there  could  be  no  human  choices  and,  consequently,  no  human 
responsibility.  Thus,  all  unconsciously,  our  fathers  became 
forerunners  in  the  adoption  of  that  modified  Calvinism  now 
generally  adopted  by  churches  once  severely  Calvinistic. 

Again,  there  appears  to  have  been  pretty  well  defined 
notions  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  person  of  Christ.  When  a 
certain  brother  from  New  Jersey  went  to  Rhode  Island  and 
ofifered  himself  for  membership  in  the  church  at  Newport, 
warning  was  sent  from  New  Jersey  that  he  was  not  orthodox. 
On  examination  it  was  found  that  he  held  that  Jesus  Christ 
was  not  a  divine  ]:)erson,  nor  a  human  person,  but  a  mix- 
ture of  the  two.  "The  l^ivine  nature."  he  said, 
"united  with  the  human  nature  to  form  a  third  nature 
that  was  neither  divine  nor  human."  He  illustrated  his 
thought  by  saying  that  when  water  and  wine  mix 
in  a  glass,  the  content  is  thenceforth  neither  water  nor  wine. 
In  other  words,  the  union  of  the  two  natures  in  one  person 
without  destroying  the  distinction  of  the  natures  was,  by  him. 


THE    .SAl!i:.\'l  II     [X    AMKRICA.  1^5 

denied.  On  this  account  he  was  for  some  time  refused  mem- 
bership, although  there  appear  to  have  been  some  considera- 
tions, other  than  doctrinal  unsoundness,  which  operated 
against  his  request.  \Mien  he  was  finally  admitted,  it  was 
agreed  that  his  doctrinal  notions  were  of  such  a  nature  that  no 
practical  harm  could  come  from  them. 

The  Sabbath-keepers  were  forced  to  face  the  doctrine  of 
restricted  communion  in  a  very  practical  wa}-  before  the  first 
Seventh-day  Baptist  church  was  organized.  In  fact,  it  was 
the  determining  point  of  their  separation.  Being  members  of 
the  Baptist  church,  they  were  communicants  with  that  body. 
But  when  four  of  their  company,  who  had  been  keeping  the 
Sabbath,  forsook  them  and  went  back  to  Sunday-keeping,  they 
were  compelled  to  recognize  the  inconsistency  of  keeping  fel- 
lowship with  Sabbath  apostates.  After  much  earnest,  prayer- 
ful thought  they  decided  that  they  could  no  longer  continue 
this  inconsistent  practice,  whereupon  they  refused  to  go  to 
the  communion.  As  we  have  already  seen,  this  brought  on  the 
controversy  which  resulted  in  their  withdrawal  from  their 
Baptist  brethren,  and  the  organization  of  a  church  of  their 
own  faith  and  practice.  The  logic  of  the  event,  unavoidably 
placed  the  new  church  on  the  restricted  communion  basis, 
where  it  has  consistently  remained,  though  in  this,  as  in  most 
other  matters  of  faith  and  practice,  large  liberty  of  individual 
opinion  has  been  allowed.  Occasionally  also  the  experiment 
has  been  made  of  conducting  Sabbath-keeping  churches  on  the 
so-called  free  communion  basis,  almost  always  with  disintegrat- 
ing and  destructive  effect.  A  notable  example  of  this,  within 
this  period,  is  the  ''Wilcox  Church,"  in  Rhode  Island.  This 
appears  to  have  been  an  effort  to  eliminate  all  "tests  of  fellow- 
ship," and.  although  their  records  .speak  often  of  their  "cov- 
enant," no  form  of  it  has  ever  been  found,  and  no  articles  of 
faith.  One  case  of  discipline  for  ]X'rforming  secular  labor  on 
the  Sabbath  is  on  record,  which,  together  with  the  fact  that 
their  early  members  were  Sabbath-keepers,  and  that  their 
meetings  for  worship  were  held  on  the  .Sal)batli.  shows  that 
the  movement  was  a  revolt  from  the  Seventh-day  T.aptist 
Church  on  the  comnumion  ([uestion.  It  was  ])romoted  by 
Isaiah    Wilcox,   who   was   the   first,   and.   apparently,   the  only 


136  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

pastor.  He  was  joined  by  his  brother,  David  Wilcox ;  EHsha 
Sisson  and  Valentine  Wilcox.  It  is  first  mentioned  in  1765, 
and  the  last  record  was  made  in  1810.  In  this  brief  time  the 
church  numbered  in  all  three  or  four  hundred  members,  em- 
bracing both  Sabbath-keepers  and  First-day-keepers.  They 
insisted  so  strenuously  upon  the  doctrine  of  free  communion 
that  they  positively  refused  to  grant  one,  Charles  Babcock,  a 
])ermit  to  join  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church,  of  Brookfield, 
lest  he  should  be  brought  into  bondage  to  the  creed  of  that 
church.  He  was  finally  told  that  he  might  go  if  the  Brook- 
field  church  would  allow  him  still  to  commune  with  them, other- 
wise he  must  remain  with  them  or  be  thrust  out  as  a  covenant 
breaker !  The  site  of  this  church,  on  the  "post  road"  some 
two  and  a  half  miles  southeast  of  the  present  village  of  West- 
erly, is  still  pointed  out.  The  heterogeneous  character  of  this 
church,  its  swift  decline  and  its  utter  extinction  is  a  striking- 
commentary  upon  the  doctrine  of  free  communion  among 
Seventh-day  Baptists. 

What  is  known  as  the  Rogerene  Quaker  movement  sprang 
up  considerably  earlier  than  the  free  communion  movement. 
Its  chief  promoters  appear  to  have  been  the  brothers,  John  and 
James  Rogers,  of  New  London,  Connecticut.  They,  with 
many  of  their  family  connections,  were  Seventh-day  Baptists, 
principally  members  of  the  church  at  Newport.  They  had 
suffered  nuich  for  their  faith  in  their  Connecticut  home.  The 
defection  grew  out  of  a  peculiar  method  of  applying  Scripture 
tests  to  all  religious  practices.  They  said  whatever  does  not 
rest  upon  a  direct  Scripture  command  or  warrant,  is  unscriptu- 
ral,  and,  therefore,  wrong.  Christian  people  of  that  time  gen- 
erally held  family  prayers  night  and  morning;  also  when  sick 
or  suffering  any  physical  injury  they  took  medicine,  or  called 
in  the  doctor.  The  Rogerenes  found  no  direct  warrant  in  the 
Scriptures  for  such  practices ;  therefore,  they  discontinued 
family  prayer,  and  refused  medicines  in  sickness,  or  the  ser- 
vices of  the  surgeon  in  case  of  serious  accident.  They  also 
had  much  to  say  against  stated  formal  public  services,  the  em- 
ployment of  a  "hireling  ministry."  etc.,  though  they  continued 
to  observe  the  Sabbath,  to  baptize  their  converts,  and  to  par- 
take of  the  communion.     The  movement  began  when  as  yet 


THE   SABBATH    IN    AMERICA.  1 37 

the  membership  of  Sabbath-keepers  in  America  was  confined 
ahnost  exclusively  to  the  church  at  Newport,  and  ran  through 
this  period,  although  it  never  became  very  strong  or  wide- 
spread. They  finally  became  a  part  of  the  New  England 
Quaker  body.  \\^ith  the  exception  of  this  sentimental  and 
abortive  efifort  to  establish  a  free  communion  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Church,  and  the  more  permanent  but  not  widespread 
Rogerene  movement,  the  doctrinal  standards  of  the  churches 
of  this  period  were  eminently  Scriptural  and,  therefore,  in  the 
truest  sense,  orthodox.  The  people  were  first  Protestants, 
then  Independents,  then  Baptists  and  then,  still  following  the 
Protestant  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures  as  the  final  authority  on 
questions  of  faith  and  practice,  they  were  logically  and  neces- 
sarily Seventh-day  Baptists. 

IV.  SPIRIT  AND  DISCIPLINE. 
In  spirit  the  early  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  America  were 
remarkably  charitable.  In  common  with  the  Puritans  of  the 
time,  they  had  sufifered  much  for  the  rights  of  conscience ;  and 
in  common  with  their  brethren,  the  Baptists,  they  had  main- 
tained, sometimes  at  great  cost,  the  right  of  private  interpre- 
tation of  the  Scriptures.  But  their  own  trials  had  taught 
them  the  sweet  lessons  of  charity.  Unlike  the  severer  Puri- 
tanism, which  sought  to  press  everything  into  its  own  peculiar 
mold,  they  had  no  doctrines  or  practices  which  they  wished 
to  force  upon  others,  save  through  an  enlightened  conscience. 
While  they  were  strict  in  their  own  observance  of  their  faith, 
and  were  ready  always  to  defend  that  faith  against  all  comers, 
they  freely  accorded  to  others  the  liberty  of  thought,  con- 
science and  speech  which  they  asked  for  themselves.  They 
were  defenders  of  the  principles  of  religious  liberty  of  the 
truest  and  highest  type.  In  this  broad  spirit  of  Christian 
charity  they  struck,  at  the  very  outset,  the  proper  attitude  of 
Seventh-day  Baptists  on  the  question  of  legislation  in  religious 
matters.  For  themselves,  they  never  asked  of  the  civil  au- 
thorities anything  but  the  right  to  read  their  Bible  and  to  prac- 
tice its  teachings  at  such  times  and  in  such  manner  as  an  en- 
lightened conscience  might  dictate,  and  to  be  protected  in  such 
exercise.  For  others  they  demanded  only  that  liberty  and 
protection  wliicli  tliey  sd  streiuuiusl\  (Uiiiandcd  for  themselves. 


138  SEVEXTH-DAV  BAPTISTS: 

There  can  be  no  other  consistent  attitude  for  Seventh- 
day  Baptists  to-day  upon  this  question  of  civil  legislation  upon 
leligious  subjects,  which  is  occiipying  so  large  a  place  in  the 
minds  of  many  religious  reformers  of  the  present  time.  The 
logic  of  their  faith  put  our  fathers  early  in  the  right  attitude 
on  this  question.  We  shall  be  worthy  sons  of  such  noble 
fathers  only  as  we  stand  consistently  on  the  same  broad  plat- 
form of  the  truest  charity. 

The  discipline  of  these  early  churches  of  our  denomination 
was  well  nigh  ideal.  The  brethren  exercised  the  most  jealous 
Vvatchcare  over  each  other.  Absence  from  any  public  meet- 
ing of  the  church  was  noted ;  and  absence  from  three  or  four 
consecutive  appointments  became  a  matter  of  official  inquiry. 
The  cause  of  such  neglect  of  covenant  obligation  was  sought, 
and  if  no  good  reason  for  it  could  be  shown,  the  delinquent  was 
earnestly  exhorted  to  again  "take  up  his  walk''  with  the  church. 
Page  after  page  of  the  early  records  of  some  of  these  churches 
is  filled  with  accounts  of  such  labor.  Through  it  all  ran  a 
manifest  spirit  of  love  for  the  brotherhood,  and  the  course  of 
discipline  usually  resulted  in  the  reformation  of  the  delinquent. 
When,  however,  the  case  proved  to  be  one  of  deliberate  intent 
to  violate  the  covenant  vows  of  a  member,  or  an  obstinate  dis- 
regard of  their  claims,  with  no  promise  of  reformation,  the  of- 
fending member  was  cut  off,  not  without  loving  exhortations 
to  an  amendment  of  life,  and  with  a  wide-open  door  for  a  re- 
turn with  suitable  evidence  of  repentance  and  reformation. 

This  loving  regard  among  the  members  of  the  individual 
church  for  each  other  appears  to  have  run  through  the  entire 
fellowship  of  churches.  Thus  it  was  common  for  one  church 
having  trouble  of  some  sort  to  ask  counsel  and  help  from  some 
sister  church.  This  was  especially  the  case  when  one  of  the 
newer  churches  or  settlements  was  in  difficulty.  Appeal  would 
be  made  to  the  mother  church  or  churches  from  which  most 
of  them  had  come.  In  such  cases  delegates — generally  the 
pastor  with  one  or  two  of  the  leading  men — would  be  appoint- 
ed to  visit  the  troubled  church  to  help  in  settling  the  case. 
Their  work  was  done  with  the  utmost  pains  to  learn  all  the 
facts  in  the  case,  with  the  deepest  spirit  of  love  for  all  con- 


HI':x\RY   COLLINS. 
Biographical    Sketches,   p.   1361. 


THE    SABBATH    IX    AMERICA.  ]  yj 

cerned.  and  with  the  sincerest  desire  to  preserve  the  purity 
and  power  of  the  church. 

Ai:;ain.  it  is  i^ratifying"  to  be  able  to  note  that  no  import- 
ant action  affecting  the  interest  of  the  church  or  churclies 
concerned  was  allowed  to  be  taken  until  the  personal  opinion 
and  preference  of  the  members  was  first  obtained.  When  a 
group  of  persons,  living  remote  from- any  church  of  Sabbath- 
keepers  desired  to  be  organized  into  a  church  by  themselves, 
they  sent  request  for  such  organization  to  the  church  of  which 
most  of  them  were  members.  A  committee  was  then  ap- 
pointed to  visit  the  community.  This  committee  passed  from 
house  to  house  and  took  a  complete  census  of  their  desire. 
Returning  to  the  home  church  they  reported  the  result  of  their 
investigations,  and  made  a  similar  canvas  of  the  home  church 
to  ascertain  the  personal  views  of  the  members  on  the  pro- 
priety of  granting  the  request.  The  desire  on  the  part,  of  the 
petitioners  being  found  to  be  unanimous,  and  the  motion  to 
grant  the  request  being  without  opposition,  the  organization 
was  then  effected.  The  new  church  was  thus,  in  the  deepest 
and  truest  sense,  a  church  in  sister  relation. 

In  like  manner,  men  refused  appointment  to  office,  or  to 
positions  of  service  in  the  church,  such  as  that  of  Elders  or 
Deacons,  if  there  was  any  possible  reason  to  suspect  that  the 
choice  was  not  unanimous.  The  candidate,  if  he  felt  called 
to  the  work,  made  diligent  inquiry  for  the  reason  or  reasons 
why  any  member  made  objection  to  his  election.  If  the  an- 
swer revealed  obstacles  which  he  could  remove,  he  removed 
them;  if  not,  he  patiently  waited  for  conditions  to  change,  or 
for  the  objector  to  withdraw  his  objections.  This  is  a  most 
striking  example  of  the  fulfillment  of  the  instruction  of  Jesus : 
— 'Tf  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there  rememberest 
that  thy  brother  hath  aught  against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift 
before  the  altar  and  go  thy  way  :  first  be  reconciled  to  th}- 
brother,  and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift." 

From  this  brief  sketch  of  the  spirit  and  discipline  of  the 
early  church,  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  the  work  always 
went  smoothly.  A  Scripture  writer  of  the  olden  time  had  oc- 
casion to  remark :  "There  was  a  day  when  the  sons  of  God 
came  to  present  themselves  before  the  Lord,  and  .Satan  came 


140  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

also  among"  them,  to  present  himself  before  the  Lord."  It 
may  be  fairly  questioned  whether  there  has  ever  been  a  period 
in  the  history  of  the  church,  ancient  or  modern,  when  this 
was  not  true ;  certainly  our  fathers  found  it  true  in  their  ex- 
perience, and  sometimes  it  gave  them  serious  trouble.  But 
the  dominance  of  the  spirit  of  love  and  forbearance  generally 
led  them  to  righteous  decisions  and  in  the  end  to  peaceable 
settlement  of  all  their  difficulties. 

V.     BUSINESS  AND  PUBLIC  LIFE. 

No  sketch  of  the .  first  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  America 
would  be  in  any  sense  complete  which  did  not  take  account  of 
the  fact  that  they  were  early  identified,  in  a  most  practical  and 
efficient  way,  with  the  material,  the  intellectual  and  the  po- 
litical, as  well  as  the  religious,  welfare  of  their  country.  While 
spirituality  and  loyalty  to  the  truth  of  God,  as  he  reveals  it 
by  his  Spirit  and  Word,  are  the  center  of  real  power  in  the 
church,  those  sturdy  qualities  in  its  members  which  put  them 
at  the  front  in  business  enterprises,  in  the  arts  find  sciences, 
and  in  governmental  affairs,  widen  their  influence  and  deep- 
ens their  power.  Spirituality  and  consecrated  talent  is  of  far 
greater  worth  than  spirituality  and  ignorance.  Our  fathers 
were  sturdy,  intelligent,  and  able  men.  The  limits  of  this 
paper  forbid  the  record  of  incidents  which  bear  unmistakable 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  this  statement,  beyond  a  few  typical 
cases. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  Puritan  intolerance  which 
drove  the  Baptists  from  Massachusetts  into  the  wilderness  of 
the  New  Haven  colony,  and  following  them  there,  again  drove 
them  to  the  necessity  of  seeking  a  more  quiet  home  in  the 
Rhode  Island  colony,  for  which  Roger  Williams  and  others 
obtained  a  charter  from  England  about  1647.  It  was  a  colonist 
from  Newport  who  settled  in  the  western  part  of  this  colony 
in  what  was  then  called  the  "Narragansett"  country,  bought 
realty  rights  of  the  Indians  and  organized  the  first  township 
in  the  Rhode  Island  colony,  which  they  named  Misquamicutt. 
It  was  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  Atlantic  ocean,  on  the 
west  by  the  Pawcatuck  river,  which  separated  it  from  the  New 
Haven  colony,  and  from  these  boundaries  extend  northward 
fifteen  or  twentv  miles,  and  eastward  twelve  or  fifteen  miles. 


HON.   SAMUFX  WARD. 
See     Hioi^iiif^hual   Slcclclws,    p.    1361. 


THE    SABBATH    IN    AMERICA.  I4I 

and  included  the  present  towns  of  Westerly,  Hopkinton,  Rich- 
mond and  Charlestown.     The  men,  almost  without  exception, 
who  did  this  pioneer  organizing  and  developing  work  either 
were,  at  the  time,  or  soon  after  became,    members    of    the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  at  Newport.     A  few  years  later 
the  town  was  incorporated  and  took  the  name  of  Westerly. 
The  land  of  this  township,  acquired  from  the  Indians  by  pur- 
chase, was  apportioned  among  the  forty  or  fifty  settlers  on  a 
sort  of  contract,  consisting  of  quite  a  series  of  articles,  the 
most  important  of  which  was  the  prompt  payment  of  their 
proportionate  part  of  the  purchase,  and  an  agreement  to  enter 
at  once  upon  the  possession  of  the  purchase  and  remain  sub- 
ject to'  call  for  the  defense  of  the  settlement.     The  manage- 
ment of  the  affairs  of  the  town  was  entrusted  to  a  small  com- 
mittee of  able  men,  all  of  whom  save  one  were  Seventh-day 
Baptists.     The  making  and  holding  of  the  deeds  and  other 
papers  relating  to  the  landed  rights  of  the  settlers  was  in  the 
hands  of  one  William  Vahan,  or  Vaughan — a  member  of  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  at  Newport     The  article  in  the 
settler's  contract  which  pledged  him  to  the  defense  of  their 
rights  of  possession,  meant  much  and  required  a  degree  of 
character  and  manly  courage  of  which  we  can  have  little  con- 
ception.    The  Indians,  although  they  had  been  fairly  bought 
out,  were  naturally  jealous  and  suspicious  of  the  white  settlers, 
and  gave  them  some  annoyance;  but  the  Puritans  were  worse 
enemies   than   the   Indians.     The   Baptist,    and    Seventh-day 
•Baptist  doctrine  of  the  rights  of  private  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  of  holding  assemblies  for  worship  where  and 
how  they  pleased,  were,  in  the  minds  of  these  Puritans,  the 
rankest  kind  of  heresies.     Naturally,  they  were  very  unwill- 
ing that  a  colony  should  spring  up  in  their  midst,  the  distin- 
guishing feature  of  which  was  not  only  the  toleration  but  the 
propagation  of  these  heresies.     I  am  not  sure  also  that  they 
were  not  covetous  of  their  goodly  possessions.     Whatever  the 
motive,  they  sought  by  every  means  to  subjugate  the  settlers 
or   drive   them   out.     The   jealousies    between    Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut,  to  use  modern  names,  added  to  the  severities 
which  the  settlers  endured.     On  the  one  hand  Massachusetts 
sought  to  extend  her  jurisdiction  over  the  entire  territory  of 


142  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

Rhode  Island  to  the  Connecticut  boundary ;  on  the  other  hand 
the  Connecticut  authorities  crossed  the  Pawcatuck  river  and 
sent  their  surveyors  to  establish  the  eastern  boundary  far 
enough  to  the  eastward  to  include,  at  least,  the  whole  of  Mis- 
quamicutt.  Westerly,  in  Connecticut  territory.  Thus  between 
the  suspicions  of  their  keen-eyed  Indian  neighbors,  the  bigoted 
intolerance  of  the  heresy-hating  Puritans,  and  the  land  hun- 
ger of  rival  colonies,  the  settlers  who  had  pledged  their  lives 
and  fortunes  in  the  defense  of  their  rights,  soon  found  that 
thev  had  taken  no  small  contract.  They  did  not  flinch,  and 
in  the  end  they  won,  on  every  point. 

Among  those  chosen  as  conservators  of  the  rights  of  the 
settlers  and  of  the  Rhode  Island  colonists,  were  Tobias  Saund- 
ers, Robert  Burdick,  John  Crandall,  Joseph  Clarke,  all 
Seventh-day  Baptists,  with  others  whose  names  are  familiar 
in  all  our  churches  to-day.  For  the  peaceful  performance  of 
their  duties,  Saunders  and  Burdick  were  forcibly  seized  by 
the  Massachusetts  authorities,  dragged  to  Boston,  condemned 
to  pay  a  fine  of  £40  each,  and  cast  into  prison  until  the  fine 
should  be  paid,  and  the  prisoners  should  give  bonds  in  the 
sum  of  £100  to  observe  the  peace  of  the  commonwealth  for 
the  future.  In  a  similar  way  Crandall  was  dragged  to  the 
Hartford  jail.  Clarke  was  a  member  of  the  Colonial  Assem- 
bly, of  Rhode  Island,  and  ably  presented  the  cause  of  the 
Rhode  Island  colonists  before  the  Governor  of  Connecticut. 
Samuel  Hubbard,  who  was  a  life-long  friend  and  associate  of 
Roger  Williams,  until  the  death  of  the  latter  in  1(^)83,  though 
not  one  of  the  Misquamicutt  settlers,  was,  with  his  wife,  Tacy, 
among  their  most  devoted  friends  and  defenders.  The  mar- 
riage of  their  three  daughters,  Ruth,  Bethia  and  Rachel,  re- 
spectively, to  Robert  Burdick,  Joseph  Clarke  and  Andrew 
Langworthy,  linked  three  of  our  largest  Seventh-day  Baptist 
families,  with  their  outbranching  lines,  almost  everywhere,  to 
those  two  names  which  ought  to  be  enshrined  in  every  grate- 
ful Seventh-day  Baptist  heart — Samuel  Hubbard  and  Tacy 
Cooper. 

It  would  extend  this  paper  to  unwarrantable  limits  to 
mention,  with  any  detail,  the  many  venerable  names  of  these 
earlv  times,  which  deserve  mention  beside  the  names  of  the 


LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  SAMUEL  WARD. 
See    Biographhal    Sketches,  p.    1^61. 


THE    SABBATH    IN    AMERICA.  1 43 

great  men  of  our  country.  ]\Iuniford,  Hiscox,  Gibson,  Clarke, 
Maxson,  Crandall,  Babcock,  Bliss,  etc.,  of  Rhode  Island; 
Rogers,  Bebee.  Gillett,  Satterlee,  of  Connecticut ;  the  Coons. 
Clarke  and  Satterlee,  of  New  York;  Elisha  Gillette,  of  Long 
Island ;  the  Davises,  and  the  Dunhams,  of  Xew  Jersey  ;  the 
Davids.  Bonds,  etc.,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  many  others  are 
names  which  tempt  the  pen  of  the  genealogist  and  the  his- 
torian. 

A  few  names,  however,  deserve  especial  mention.  John 
A\"ard  was  an  officer  in  the  English  revolution  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  under  Oliver  Cromwell.  His  son,  Thomas 
Ward,  came  to  the  American  colonies  at  the  restoration  of 
Charles  the  II.,  in  1666.  Shortly  after  this  date,  his  name  ap- 
pears on  the  records,  as  a  member  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Church  of  Newport.  He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Legislature  of  the  colony.  He  married,  as  his  second  wife, 
Amy  Smith,  a  grand-daughter  of  Roger  Williams.  His  son, 
by  this  second  marriage,  Richard  Ward,  was  born  in  1689,  the 
year  in  which  Thomas,  the  father,  died.  Richard  was  Govern- 
or of  the  colony  in  1741-2.  Samuel  Ward,  another  descend- 
ant of  this  same  family,  was  Governor  from  1762- 1765,  and 
then  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress  in  Philadelphia, 
where  he  died  during  the  first  year  of  the  Revolutionary  War — 
1776.  He  was  greatly  beloved  and  deeply  mourned  by  his  asso- 
ciates as  well  as  by  liis  Rhode  Island  constituency.  He 
was  an  earnest  promoter  of  the  higher  education  in  the  colo- 
nies;  and.  as  Governor  of  Rhode  Island,  gave  the  charter  in 
T764  for  the  Rhode  Island  college  at  Providence,  an  institu- 
tion which  still  lives,  now  known  as  the  Brown  Univcrsit}-. 
His  estate  was  located  in  the  present  town  of  Westerly,  on 
what  is  familiarly  known  in  tiiat  country  as  the  "Shore  road." 
and  looks  out  upon  the  open'  sea,  between  Block  Island  and 
Montauk  Point.  This  entire  family  of  Wards  in  this  coun- 
try, for  man\-  generations,  were  staunch  Seventh-day  Baptists. 
Though  the  name  of  Ward  has  ceased  from  among  us,  their 
descendants  are  still  with  us. 

After  the  death  of  Thomas  Ward,  his  widow,  the  mother 
of  the  first  Governor  Ward,  married  Arnold  Collins,  a  thrifty 


144  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

merchant  of  Newport,  and  member  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Church  of  that  city.  To  them  was  born  a  son— Henry 
ColHns,  whose  name  ought  to  be  an  inspiration  to  every  ambi- 
tious Seventh-day  Baptist  young-  man.  The  half  brothers, 
Richard  Ward  and  Henry  Colhns,  though  separated  in  age 
by  several  years,  grew  up  together,  attending  the  same 
schools,  until  Ward  entered  into  business  and  young  Collins 
was  sent  to  England  for  a  college  education,  in  Oxford  or 
Cambridge.  After  finishing  his  education,  he  returned  to  the 
colonies,  and  entered  into  the  business,  in  Newport,  of  a  gold- 
smith. His  business  was  properous,  and,  for  that  time,  he 
became  very  wealthy.  He  did  a  large  business  with  foreign 
countries.  His  wealth  was  used  for  the  promotion  of  such 
enterprises,  public  and  private,  as  would  benefit  those  among 
whom  he  lived.  He  educated,  at  his  own  expense,  a  large 
number  of  young  men ;  he  took  the  lead  in  organizing  and 
maintaining  in  the  city  a  society,  or  club,  for  the  regular  study 
of  social  and  economic  questions — such  as  would  make  better 
business  men,  better  citizens.  He  was  also  a  patron  of  the 
fine  arts,  and  established,  at  his  own  expense,  an  art  gallery 
in  which  were  placed  some  of  the  best  paintings,  by  the  ablest 
painters  of  that  time.  An  enthusiastic  historian  of  a  little 
later  date  pronounced  him  the  "Lorenzo  de  Medici  of  the  Colo- 
nies." His  gifts  to  public  objects  were  many  and  generous. 
One  which  remains  to  the  present  day,  and  which  will  pass 
on  to  succeeding  generations,  was  the  gift  of  a  beautiful  plot 
of  ground  in  the  finest  part  of  the  city,  to  the  city,  for  a  pub- 
lic library.  A  wealthy  Jew,  Redwood,  by  name,  donated  a 
valuable  collection  of  historical  works  as  the  basis  of  the 
library,  which  is  known  by  his  name — The  Redwood  Library 
— being  one  of  the  principal  places  of  interest  in  that  city  of 
magnificent  homes,  of  fabulous  wealth,  and  fashionable  foibles. 
In  all  this  whirl  of  business,  this  busy  thought  and  care  for 
the  welfare  of  others,  this  planning  and  giving  and  doing  for 
the  well-being  of  his  city  and  country,  Collins  was  a  humble, 
faithful,  consistent  Seventh-day  Baptist — member  of  the 
church  of  that  faith  in  the  city.  Lie  was  the  architect  and 
principal  member  of  the  building  committee  for  the  principal 
house  of  worship  owned  by  the  church,  and  gave  the  work  as 

(9) 


THE    SABBATH    IX    AMERICA.  I45 

much  personal  attention  as  though  that  had  l^een  his  regular 
calling. 

I  cannot  forbear  mentioning  one  other  Xew  England 
riame — that  of  Deacon  John  Tanner,  also  a  wealthy  merchant 
of  Newport.  Though  his  will  is  on  record,  and  bears  date 
of  Stonington,  Conn.,  August  26,  1776.  In  this  will  Deacon 
Tanner  made  generous  reiiiembrance  of  various  public  and 
religious  institutions  or  organizations,  as  well  as  to  a  large 
list  of  relatives  and  personal  friends.  Among  the  former  were 
the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Churches  at  Newport  and  Westerly, 
R.  I.,  and  Piscataway,  N.  ].,  and  the  Rhode  Island  College. 
Some  of  Deacon  Tanner's  descendants  are  still  among  our 
people  in  New  England. 

In  Western  Connecticut  settled  a  thrifty  Seventh-day 
Baptist  family,  whose  home  lay  in  the  path  of  the  contending 
armies  of  the  Revolution  until  they  had  given  nearly  all  their 
substance  to  the  patriot  cause.  Under  the  stress  of  this  drain 
upon  their  resources,  they  sold  what  they  had  left,  and  moved 
on  to  Rensselaer  County,  in  New  York  State ;  and  this  gave 
to  Petersburg,  afterwards  Berlin,  Elder  ^^'illiam  Satterlee, 
and  the  large  Satterlee  family  in  various  parts  of  New  York. 

The  part  which  the  Seventh-day  Baptists  of  New  Jersey 
took  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle  has  already  been  mention- 
ed, a  part  for  which  any  people  may  justly  feel  proud. 

The  Seventh-day  Baptist  cause  of  Philadelphia  and  vicini- 
ty also  had  its  list  of  eminent  and  worthy  names.  We  have  al- 
ready mentioned  the  Rev.  Enoch  David  as  one  of  the  strongest 
men  in  the  Philadelphia  Sabbatarian  movement.  His  son.Ebene- 
zer  David,  was  a  young  man  of  marked  ability  and  great  prom- 
i.se.  He  graduated  from  the  Rhode  Island  College,  and  was 
ordained  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  minister  at  Hopkinton,  R.  I. 
Returning  to  Philadelphia,  he  entered  the  Federal  Army.  He 
was  soon  after  appointed  chaplain,  and  died  in  the  service  near 
Philadelphia  in  1778.  Descendants  of  this  family  are  still 
among  us. 

Abel  Noble,  the  founder  of  the  Pennsylvania  movement, 
notwithstanding  his  great  activity  as  a  preacher  of  righteous- 
ness and  propagandist  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  faith,  built 


146  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

up  a  large  landed  estate  in  Bucks  County,  known  far  and  near 
as  one  of  the  largest  and  wealthiest  in  the  county. 

I  forbear  further  individual  mention.  There  is  ample 
evidence  that  in  private  business  enterprises,  in  political  and 
public  affairs,  in  local  trusts,  in  colonial  government  positions, 
and  in  the  National  Congress  our  fathers  were  men  of  ster- 
ling character,  of  marked  ability,  and  of  thrifty  and  worthy 
achievements.  They  were  loyal  to  all  public  interests  and 
were  trusted  and  honored  by  their  fellow-citizens.  At  the 
same  time  they  were  staunch  in  their  defense  of  their  own  re- 
ligious faith,  constant  and  consistent  in  its  observance.  They 
were  trusted  and  honored  because  they  were  men  of  character 
and  conscience. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this  struggle  for  personal  religious 
liberty ;  these  hard  fought  battles  for  subsistence  first,  after- 
wards for  competence ;  throughout  these  times  which  tried 
men's  souls ;  times  which  wrought  out  the  religious,  the  social, 
the  economic,  the  political  character  of  these  colonies  destined 
to  become  a  great  republic,  our  fathers  earnestly  cherished 
and  jealously  promoted  the  spirit  of  Christian  love  and  fel- 
low^ship.  They  were  first  of  all  honest  hearted  Christian  men, 
true  to  God  and  loyal  to  his  Word.  This  made  them,  in  the 
truest  sense,  brethren  in  sweetest  charity.  This,  again,  made 
them  true  in  spirit,  aim,  and  eft'ort  to  all  that  was  best  in 
human  society.  They  thus  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  Church  in  America  where  it  could  stand  the 
shock  of  coming  revolutions,  of  topling  monarchies,  or  crumb- 
Img  republics — in  characters  built  on  the  word  of  eternal 
truth — tried  and  toughened  by  the  fires  of  trials  and  polished 
by  the  disciplines  of  the  best  possessions  of  men. 

Accepting  the  inheritance  which  they  have  handed  down 
to  us.  let  us  see  that  it  hold's  the  high  place  on  which  they  left 
h. 


SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST 
GENERAL    CONFERENCE, 

1802  TO  1902. 


REV.  ARTHUR  ELWELL  MAIN,  D.  D. 
See    Biographical    Sketches,    p.   1361. 


THE   SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  GENERAL 
CONFERENCE,  1802  to  1902. 


Rev.   Arthur  E.    Main. 


Our  General  Conference  was  not  the  child  of  a  day  or  a 
year,  but  the  product  of  many  years  of  deepening  and  extend- 
ing life. 

Let  us  note,  then,  some  of  the  events  by  which  we  trace 
its  evolution  up  to  the  time  of  its  actual  organization. 

Just  when  or  how  the  Sabbath  truth  first  came  to  America 
from  England  we  cannot  tell;  but  such  had  its  influence 
grown  to  be  that,  as  early  as  1646  it  was  the  occasion  of  much 
earnest  discussion  in  New  England. 

In  1664  the  London  Seventh-day  Baptists  sent  Stephen 
Mumford  to  America,  and  in  1671  the  Newport,  R.  L,  church 
was  organized. 

In  1675  the  Rev.  William  Gibson  came ;  and  thus  our 
English  brethren  "did  as  much,  in  proportion  to  their  ability, 
as  had  been  done  by  any  society,  for  propagating  the  gospel 
in  foreign  parts." 

In  1684  Abel  Noble,  son  of  a  wealthy  Quaker,  of  Bristol, 
Eng.,  came  to  America,  and  lived  in  Bucks  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  became  the  "apostle  of  Sabbatarianism  in  Penn- 
sylvania ;"  and  under  his  influence  there  arose    the  German 


150  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

Seventh-day   Baptists,   and  English-speaking   Sahhath-keepers 
in  the  South  and  West. 

In  New  Jersey,  about  1700,  Edmund  Dunham,  a  Baptist 
deacon  and  Hcense'd  minister,  changed  to  Sabbath-keeping ; 
and  in  1705  the  Piscataway  or  New  Market  Church  was  or- 
ganized. 

But  it  is  most  probable  that  both  Dunham  and  Noble 
were  the  fruit  of  earlier  Sabbath  teaching  and  practice  by 
Rev.  William  Gillette,  M.  D.,  and  Rev.  Jonathan  Davis,  Sr. 

Dr.  Gillette  was  a  Huguenot  minister  and  physician  of 
France,  who  fled  to  America  from  the  papal  persecution  in 
the  latter  half  of  the  seventeenth  century.  After  acquiring 
the  English  language  he  preached  in  Connecticut;  and,  it  is 
said,  on  Long  Island  and  in  New  Jersey  also ;  and  was  a  Sab- 
bath-keeping member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

Jonathan  Davis  was  a  native  of  Wales;  turned 'to  the 
Sabbath  in  this  country,  and  preached  on  Long  Island,  his  de- 
scendants moving  to  New  Jersey. 

But  our  chief  historical  stream  had  its  source  in  Newport ; 
for,  in  1696,  there  was  appointed  a  General  or  Yearly  ]\Ieet- 
ing  of  Rhode  Island  Seventh-day  Baptists ;  and  our  conference 
is  a  direct  descendant  of  that  general  meeting.  From  that 
meeting  there  sprang  up  a  "Union  and  Communion"  among 
such  churches  as  entered  into  the  fellowship,  which  continued 
for  105  years,  without  written  constitution  or  very  formal  or- 
ganization. 

In  1703  and  1704  the  Rhode  Island  Yearly  Meeting  aid- 
ed the  Pennsylvania  brethren  in  the  settlement  of  some  dif- 
ficulty, by  the  appointment  of  a  visiting  committee,  and  the 
sending  of  a  fraternal  letter;  and  in  1705  it  ordained  Ed- 
mund Dunham  and  admitted  the  New  Jersey  brethren  ''into 
Christian  association  and  communion." 

In  1717  four  persons  were  appointed  to  ''sign,  on  our 
behalf,  our  letter  to  our  brethren  in  Pennsylvania  and  places 
adjacent  in  fellowship  with  us;"  and  in  1734  two  brethren 
were  appointed  to  visit  New  Jersey. 

There  was  also  correspondence  between  this  Meeting  and 
Sabbath-keepers  in  England. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I9O2.  I5I 

The  years  1762  and  1763  were  a  critical  period  in  the  his- 
torical development  of  the  Conference. 

In  the  former  year  the  "General  fleeting  was  laid  down ;" 
hut  in  1763  there  was  substantially  this  minute: 

Our  General  Meeting  was,  for  sundry  good  reasons,  vot- 
ed down  and  to  cease  last  year ;  but  upon  considering  how 
necessary  it  is  for  brethren  to  meet  together,  to  stir  up  one 
another  and  likewise  to  commune  together,  in  order  to  provoke 
one  another  to  Christian  love  and  unity,  that  the  weak  may 
become  more  strong,  that  God  may  have  glory  and  our  souls 
peace,  we  have  thought  fit  that,  for  the  future,  the  Sixth-day 
before  the  third  Sabbath  in  September  be  a  church  meeting, 
and  the  Sabbath  following  an  annual  communion,  that  all  our 
distant  brethren  and  sisters  may  be  present,  in  order  to  be 
helpers  of  our  joy;  and  that  the  first-day  following  there  be 
held  a  meeting,  if  then  thought  proper. 

This  brotherly  action,  in  those  troublous  political  times, 
witnesses  to  the  Divine  Providence  in  our  denominational  his- 
tory. There  were  other  general  meetings  in  Xew  Jersey,  Con- 
necticut and  Pennsylvania;  and.  later,  among  Sabbath-keepers 
who  found  their  way  to  Eastern  and  Central  Xew  York.  These 
were  seasons  of  social  joy,  increased  fellowship,  and  spiritual 
refreshing,  the  time  being  largely  given  to  preaching  and  de- 
votional exercises.  For  the  sake  of  these  blessings  some  would 
travel  a  hundred  miles  by  ox  teams. 

These  several  General  or  Yearly  Meetings  began  to  ex- 
change fraternal  greetings,  letters  and  delegates ;  and  out 
of  their  union  with  Hopkinton.  R.  I.,  as  the  center  of  interest 
and  influence,  because  of  its  location,  numerical  strength  and 
intellectual,  business  and  religious  vigor,  grew  (lur  (icneral 
Conference. 

At  the  Hopkinton  yearly  churcli  meeting,  on  sixth-day, 
there  were  elders,  brethren  and  letters  from  distant  sister 
churches ;  and  it  was  considered  to  be  a  day  not  for  common 
church  business,  but  a  preparation  day  before  communion. 
The  Sabbath,  with  its  general  communion,  was  indeed  an  high 
day.  And  the  character  and  work  of  first-day  depended  upon 
the  already  awakened  devotion  and  accunuilated  power. 


152  SEVENTH-DAY  13APTISTS  : 

In  1/94  action  was  taken  looking  toward  fuller  statistics 
and  more  messengers  from  the  churches. 

In  1795  Rev.  Henry  Clarke  was  commissioned  an  evan- 
gelist to  labor  in  the  Unadilla  country,  Central  New  York. 

At  the  )'early  church  meeting  in  1796  there  were  letters 
and  messengers  from  Petersburg,  N.  Y.,  and  from  Bristol  and 
New  London,  Conn.,  all  expressing  love  and  fellowship.  And, 
in  return,  brethren  were  appointed  to  attend  the  Bristol  year- 
ly meeting,  and  to  write  letters  to  the  churches  at  Newport, 
Bristol,  New  London,   Piscataway  and  Petersburg. 

The  yearly  meeting  of  1797  indicated  progress  towards 
a  still  closer  union  of  the  churches.  The  letters  received  from 
other  churches  were  more  complete  in  information ;  and  the 
letters  sent  out  from  Hopkinton  to  the  brethren  at  Newport, 
Bristol,  New  London,  Petersburg,  Piscataway,  and  Cohansey 
(Shiloh),  contained  a  "vote  and  resolutions  of  this  church  to 
keep  a  correspondence  by  letter  or  messenger,  or  both,  at  the 
several  Yearly  Meetings." 

The  letters  of  1798  gave  still  fuller  statements  concern- 
ing the  churches ;  and  the  request  of  Elder  Henry  Clark  and 
the  Brookfield  church  for  a  change  in  the  time  of  the  Rhode 
Island  Yearly  JMeeting,  looked  towards  a  General  Meeting  for 
all  the  churches. 

In  1799  it  was  voted  to  change  the  time  of  holding  the 
Yearly  Meeting,  or  Communion,  to  the  second  Sabbath  in 
September,  annually,  at  the  Hopkinton  Lower  Meeting  House ; 
and  a  committee  of  ten  was  appointed  to  prepare  general  rules 
for  the  direction  of  the  associated  churches,  upon  their  ap- 
proval. But  there  is  no  further  record  relating  to  this  com- 
mittee. 

About  50  brethren  and  15  sisters  were  "at  a  church  meet- 
ing at  the  Lower  Meeting  House  in  Hopkinton,  the  12th  day 
of  September,  1800.  being  the  day  before  the  Annual  Com- 
munion, according  to  adjournment;"  and  a  letter  was  received 
from  Brookfield  urging  enlarged  and  united  plans  for  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  spread  of  the  truth,  under  the 
leadership  of  the  Rhode  Island  Yearly  Meeting. 

Before  the  Revolutionary  War  there  appear  to  have  been 
Sabbath-keeping  churches  in  the  Southern  States  of  Virginia, 


SILHOUETTE  OF  REV.  HEXRY  CLARKE. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,  p.  1 361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE.  l802  TO  I902.  I53 

Xorth  Carolina,  South  Carolina  and  Georgia :  but.  for  the 
most  part,  these,  with  many  Baptist  churches,  did  not  survive 
the  disasters  of  that  period. 

And  in  1800  there  were  ten  or  twelve  churches  or  Sab- 
bath-keeping settlements  in  ^Massachusetts,  on  Long  Island, 
and  in  Pennsylvania,  A'irginia,  Kentucky  and  North  Carolina 
that  had  not  yet  become  associated  with  the  Rhode  Island 
General  Meeting. 

1801. 

At  this  Yearly  Meeting  about  60  brethren  and  12  sisters 
Avere  in  attendance  representing  7  churches  in  Rhode  Island, 
Connecticut,  New  York  and  New  Jersey ;  and  "Elder  Henry 
Clark,  of  Brookfield,  N.  Y..  brought  forward  a  proposition  for 
the  several  churches  in  our  Union  to  unite  in  an  institution  for 
propagating  our  religion  in  the  different  parts  of  the  United 
States,  by  sending  out  from  the  different  churches  in  said 
Union  missionaries,  at  the  expense  of  the  several  churches 
which  may  fall  in  with  the  proposition." 

It  was  voted  to  approve  the  proposition  and  to  communi- 
cate it  to  the  different  churches,  requesting  their  approval. 

Instead  of  the  former  individual  letters  to  the  churches, 
,it  was  voted  to  send  out  a  circular  letter  in  behalf  of  the  Hop- 
kinton  church,  but  written  by  Elder  Clark,  of  Brookfield,  and 
Elder  Jabez  Becbe,  of  New  London. 

This  memorable  letter  went,  however,  in  the  name  of  the 
Sabbatarian  Baptists  in  their  General  Conference  assembled 
at  Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  September  ii,  1801.  to  churches,  branches 
and  people  of  the  same  faith  and  order  in  the  States  of 
America. 

It  gave  information  concerning  the  churches,  whose  re- 
ported membership  was  1,031 ;  pleaded  for  greater  devotion 
and  loyalty ;  recommended  the  sending  forth  of  missionaries 
or  travelling  preachers ;  and  urged  all  churches  in  the  com- 
munion to  send  letters  or  messengers  or  both  to  the  next  Year- 
ly Meeting  in  Hopkinton  in  September,  1802.  Tiiese  mes- 
sengers were  to  appoint  the  missionaries,  determine  their  re- 
muneration, and  direct  their  labors. 

This  circular  letter  of  1801  thus  closed: 


154  SEVEXTIl-DAV    UAl'TISTS  : 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all. 
Amen. 

Signed  per  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence. 

John  Burdick,  Prcsidoit. 
Joseph  Potter,  Clerk. 

This  united  and  enlarged  plan  of  a  few  brave,  believing 
and  purposeful  spirits  in  the  first  year  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, for  the  advancement  of  God's  cause  and  the  good  of 
souls,  appears  to  have  been  due  to  the  holy  zeal  of  Elder  Henry 
Clark  more  than  to  any  other  one  man;  but  our  General  Con- 
ference w^as  not  the  creation  of  one  man,  or  born  of  a  day  or 
year.  It  was  the  product  of  many  years  of  deepening  and 
enlarging  life,  and  a  growing  missionary  spirit;  a  strikingly 
interesting  example  of  the  ancient  fact  but  modern  doctrine 
of  evolution  in  religious  history ;  a  revelation  of  God's  method 
in  the  world's  moral  progress. 

1802. 

About  70  brethren  and  8  sisters,  representing  7  churches, 
assembled  in  Hopkinton,  at  the  Lower  Meeting  House,  Sep- 
tember 10,  1802. 

Some  letters  were  addressed  to  the  Hopkinton  Church, 
some  to  the  General  Conference. 

Four  churches — Newport,  Hopkinton,  New  London  and 
Brookfield — indorsed  the  proposed  missionary  movement;  and 
Newport  sent  the  first  contribution  toward  the  work,  $20.69. 

The  Cohansey  church  did  not  refer  to  the  matter ;  the  Pis- 
cataway  church  opposed  the  movement;  and  the  Petersburgh 
church  favored  only  the  voluntary  support  of  voluntary  mis- 
sionaries "sent  out  by  the  Lord." 

But,  still,  a  committee  was  appointed  representing  the 
churches  of  Hopkinton,  Newport,  Waterford,  Cohansey  and 
Peteisburgh,  with  Elder  Abram  Coon,  of  Hopkinton.  as  chair- 
man, to  report  upon  some  method  of  procedure.  This  com- 
mittee recommended  (i)  that  missionaries  be  sent  out.  in- 
structed and  supported  by  the  General  Conference.  (2)  That 
the  Conference  "circulate"  year  by  year,  to  Hopkinton,  Peters- 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I902.  1 55 

burgh  and  Piscataway.  (3)  That  a  copy  of  the  report  be 
sent  to  each  church  of  the  Union. 

The  circular  letter  exhorted  the  brethren  of  all  the 
churches  to  lead  holier  lives,  in  gratitude  for  a  great  salvation ; 
to  make  Sabbath  truth  known  by  better  practice,  and  by  great- 
er unity ;  to  hold  meetings  for  testimony  and  prayer,  if  with- 
out preaching  gifts ;  to  send  money  to  the  Conference  treasury 
for  the  support  of  travelling  ministers ;  and  to  remember  that 
the  General  Conference  is  not  intended  to  prevent  the  several 
Yearly  Meetings,  or  visiting  from  church  to  church  by  el- 
ders, deacons  or  others. 

The  letter  closed  with  these  fervent  appeals : 

Brethren  we  have  great  cause  to  be  thankful  to  you  all 
for  your  information,  by  your  letters  and  messengers,  con- 
cerning your  circumstances  and  travel.  We  feel  refreshed  to 
hear  of  so  general  a  conformity  to  the  rules  of  the  gospel,  and 
to  hear  of  revivals  of  religion  in  various  quarters.  We  pray 
that  they  may  universally  prevail,  and  overspread  the  Union 
of  our  churches,  as  well  as  in  all  other  places.  Pra}^,  brethren, 
send  messengers  to  the  Conference  appointed,  or  it  cannot  be 
held ;  and  send  your  letters  the  year  ensuing  directed  to  the 
Annual  Sabbatarian  Conference,  to  be  held  at  Petersburgh, 
State  of  New  York,  with  the  account  of  your  circumstances 
and  travel.     Pray,  brethren,  make  a  zealous  point  of  it,  for  it 

appears  to  this  Conference  to  be  important And 

now,  brethren,  as  purity  of  heart  and  holiness  of  life  consti- 
tute our  chief  happiness,  let  us  purge  the  old  leaven  of  malice 
and  hypocrisy,  and  let  us  love  as  brethren.  Be  cautious,  kind 
and  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another  as  God,  for  Christ's 
sake,  hath  forgiven  us.  Finally,  brethren,  farewell ;  be  per- 
fect, be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace ;  and 
may  the  God  of  love  and  peace  be  with  us  all,  for  Christ's  sake. 
Amen. 

Signed  by  order  and  in  behalf  of  all  the  Conference. 

Abr.\m  Coon,  Moderator. 
Joseph  Potter,  Clerk. 

1803. 

Petersburgh,  N.  Y. — This  Conference  represented  8 
churches  in  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York  and  New 


156  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

Jersey;  9  ministers;  2  brethren  with  preaching  gifts;  13  dea- 
cons; and  1,119  niembers. 

The  letter  from  the  Hopkinton  church  was  long,  but  of 
a  beautiful  and  devout  spirit. 

Opening  with  warmest  Christian  salutations,  it  developed, 
in    fervent   language,  the    following   points : 

Thanksgiving  for  divine  goodness  seen  in  temporal  and 
spiritual  blessings. 

Lament  over  declension  in  religion ;  and  a  desire  for  heav- 
enly grace  and  zeal,  wKile  in  the  midst  of  error,  superstition, 
and  inicjuity. 

The  importance,  to  the  spread  of  true  religion,  of  the 
Conference  and  of  more  laborers  for  the  harvest  fields. 

The  necessity  of  a  holier  militant  church. 

A  request  to  be  remembered  in  prayer,  and  a  promise  to 
pray  for  the  brethren  in  their  "several  situations  and  circum- 
stances," looking  forward  to  the  time  when  the  earth  shall  be 
covered  with  the  knowledge  of  Jehovah. 

The  Cohansey  church  approves  the  forward  movement ; 
and  the  Piscataway  church  "seems  to  be  free  to  contribute 
its  part ;"  but  the  Waterford  church  withdraws  its  approval 
of  the  previous  year. 

Respecting  the  raising  of  missionary  funds  the  Brookfield 
church  said : 

We  are  fully  able,  as  a  sect,  would    we    but    unite    and 

eequally  bear  the  cost If  we  love  the  Lord  and 

his  cause  as  well  as  we  do  ourselves — and  we  should  much  bet- 
ter— can  we  not  afford  something  to  forward  the  cause?  .  . 
Shall  we  be  more  backward  to  propagate  truth  than  other  sects 
are  error? 

This  letter  speaks  of  the  Hopkinton  church  as  numerous 
and  abounding  in  wealth  as  well  as  graces,  and  as  capable  with 
its  605  members,  of  being  a  good  example  for  other  churches. 

The  following  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  rules 
of  procedure,  in  the  place  of  those  agreed  to  in  1802: 

Elder  Henry  Clark,  Brookfield;  Deacon  Daniel  Babcock, 
Hopkinton ;  Deacon  Abram  Dunham,  Piscataway ;  and  Caleb 
Sheppard  and  Jacob  West,  of  Cohansey. 


GEXERAL    CONFERENCE,     l802    TO     I9O2.  1 57 

These  brethren  set  forth  the  powers  and  dnties  of  the  Con- 
ference in  the  following  four  particulars : 

1.  The  Conference  shall  be  composed  of  as  many  mes- 
sengers as  the  churches  see  fit  to  send ;  but  the  voting  shall  be 
by  churches,  each  church  having  from  one  to  four  votes,  ac- 
cording to  membership. 

2.  The  Conference,  in  itself,  shall  be  self-governing,  but 
its  relation  to  the  churches  shall  be  advisory  and  helpful,  and 
lo  the  world,  missionary. 

3.  The  financial  relations  of  the  churches  to  Conference 
are  voluntary ;  but  the  church  where  Conference  sits  will  be 
expected  to  see  "that  the  members  of  said  Conference  are  pro- 
vided with  places  to  lodge  and  victuals,  whilst  there." 

4.  The  public  proceedings  shall  be  printed  for  the  in- 
spection of  all;  and  this  bill  or  constitution  is  subject  to  alter- 
ation by  the  Conference.  But  when  any  material  change  is 
thought  necessary,  previous  notice  must  be  given  by  Confer- 
ence to  the  churches,  or  by  the  churches  to  Conference. 

The  circular  letter  of  this  year  was  almost  exactly  like 
that  of  1802. 

1804. 

PiscATAWAY,  N.  J. — The  letter  from  Hopkinton  was 
characterized  by  great  ability,  piety  and  hope.  Wars  and 
troublous  times  have  not  been  forgotten,  and  there  is  gratitude 
for  national  and  religious  blessings.  The  whole  letter  might 
well  be  read,  but  let  us  take  to  ourselves  the  following  noble 
appeal : 

"We  entreat  you  to  guard  against  all  unhap])y  (lel)a(es 
and  everything  that  tends  to  strife,  and  be  careful  to  walk 
softly  and  do  nothing  to  wound  the  weak  and  feeble  lambs  of 
Christ,  who  cannot  endure  much ;  and  be  not  offended  with 
those  who  cannot  see  as  far  and  walk  as  fast  as  you ;  for.  bet- 
ter it  is  for  the  people  of  God  to  get  along  by  slow  degrees 
and  with  united  hands,  than  for  the  wise  and  strong  to  si:)ced 
their  way  with  hasty  strides,  and  leave  the  feeble  lambs  to 
mourn  in  the  wilderness.  Therefore,  dear  brethren,  let  the 
strong  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  establish  nothing- 
new,  although  it  might  be  for  the  better,  until  the  whole  be 
generally   agreed   thereon,   that   peace   and    harmony   may   be 


158  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

established  among  ourselves,  and  we  better  prepared  to  spread 
the  truth  abroad." 

The  Cohansey  brethren  write : 

"We  are  convinced  of  the  great  utiHty  of  the  General 
Conference;  for  we  think  that  the  united  efforts  of  messengers 
from  every  church  will  greatly  contribute  to  the  stability  of 
our  profession,  and  the  spread  of  the  gospel." 

They  also  renew  their  request  for  a  minister  to  come  to 
them  from  the  Conference. 

The  Brookfield  church,  in  the  straitened  circumstances 
of  pioneer  life,  and  "having  been  building  a  meeting  house, 
sends  only  a  letter,  in  which  the  brethren  say : 

"When  we  consider  the  worth  of  souls,  the  cause  of  God, 
the  freedom  of  our  national  Constitution,  and  the  favorable 
opportunities  God,  in  his  good  providence  is  giving  us,  we  la- 
ment iJiat  no  method  has  been  hit  on  of  sending  out  preachers 
of  our  order."  Also,  "Mere  speculative  ideas  in  religion, 
and  especially  in  mysterious  points,  as  original  sin,  personal 
election,  final  perseverance,  universal  salvation,  and  the  like, 
may  be  borne  with  while  those  who  hold  them  are  really  con- 
formed to  God's  law  and  gospel,  and  are  not  too  'impetuous.'  " 

The  Petersburgh  church  disapproves  the  present  mode  of 
holding  General  Conference;  but  asks  for  its  assistance  in  or- 
daining Brother  William  Satterlee. 

The  Conference  refused  this  assistance  because,  it  is  said, 
of  an  impediment  in  his  speech.  The  church  then  applied  to 
t'he  "Mother  Church"  at  Hopkinton ;  Elders  Abram  Coon  and 
Matthew  Stillman,  and  Deacons  Daniel  Babcock  and  Joseph 
Stilhnan  were  sent ;  and  Mr.  Satterlee  was  ordained. 

Immediately  following  his  ordination,  wrote  the  late 
President  Allen,  there  was  a  great  revival ;  and,  in  a  few 
years,  the  church  increased  from  179  to  447  members. 

The  constitution  of  1803  not  being  satisfactory,  the  sub- 
ject was  referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  Deacons  David 
Ayars,  Abraham  Dunham,  James  Greenman  and  Joseph  Still- 
man,  and  Brethren  Jacob  West,  Lewis  Titsworth,  William 
Satterlee,  Joseph  Potter,  James  Dunn  and  Joel  Dunn. 

The  draft  proposed  by  them  for  the  consideration  of  the 
churches  was  less  formal  than  that  of  the  vear  before ;  and 


A  GROUP  OF  rkprksi:ntativk  pastors. 

Rev.  Daniel  Coon.  Rev.  Simon   Babcock. 

Rev.  James  H.   Cochran.  Rev.  Lewis  A.   Davis. 

See    Biograf'hical  Sketches,   p.   1361. 


GENERAL  COXFERENCE.  l8o2  TO  I9O2.  1 59 

took  special  pains  to  safeguard  the  independence  and  individu- 
ality of  the  churches,  and  to  reduce  in  number  and  scope  the 
rights  of  Conference. 

The  circular  letter,  after  grateful  mention  of  religious  lib- 
erty and  redeeming  grace,  exhorts  to  greater  activity  and  holi- 
ness, and  urges  the  scattered  to  put  themselves  under  the 
watch-care   of   the   nearest   Sabbath-keeping   church. 

1805. 

HoPKixTOx-^,  R.  I. — The  letter  from  Newport,  probably 
the  last  paper  of  the  kind  written  by  the  venerable  Elder  Wil- 
liam Bliss,  approves  the  General  Conference,  and  as  President 
Allen  said,  has  the  spirit  of  immortal  vigor  and  the  beauty 
of  true  religion. 

It  was  the  opinion  of  the  Piscataway  church  that  each 
elder  should  preach  for  the  destitute  churches  nearest  him  at 
their  expense,  and  for  more  scattered  members  at  the  expense 
of  his  own  church. 

The  Cohansey  letter  was  addressed  to  the  "Circular  Gen- 
eral Meeting,"  and  expresses  gratitude  for  the  visits  and  labors 
of  Elders  Coon  and  Lafiferty. 

Hopkinton,  of  course,  is  reported  as  favoring  the  new 
mode  of  holding  the  General  Meeting. 

The  church  at  Bristol,  Conn,  (later  the  Burlington 
church),  was  opposed  to  the  new  missionary  movement  for 
two  reasons :  (  i )  .  The  elders  and  brethren  had  not  been  dele- 
gated for  the  express  purpose  of  "changing  the  custom  and 
usages  of  the  church."  (2)  And  the  second  and  more  for- 
midable objection  was  that  they  did  not  believe  in  the  "money 
call,"  but  in  keeping  "our  money  out  of  sight  until  it  shall 
please  the  Lord  to  move  upon  the  hearts  of  some  of  his  faith- 
ful servants  to  visit  their  brethren ;"  and  when  they  shall  first 
do  this,  then  "communicate  to  them  of  our  carnal  things." 

The  W'aterford  church  had  no  objection  to  the  new  move- 
ment if  preachers  were  to  be  allowed  great  freedom  in  the 
expression  of  their  sentiments,  and  the  churches  liberty  of 
conscience  and  discipline,  especially  when  all  walk  in  the  ex- 
ample of  Christ  and  the  commandments 'of  God,  and  keep  in 
union.  And  the  letter  goes  on  to  say,  "Although  we  believe 
immoderately  lonsj-  sermons  are  not  so  salutarv  in  general,  vet 


l60  SEVEXTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

let  not  a  man  be  censured  for  a  long  discourse,  for  we  find 
the  Apostle  F'aul  preaching  till  midnight.  Let  us  be  careful 
not  to  stint  the  Spirit  of  God." 

The  Brookfield  church  favors  the  General  Conference  and 
asks  for  the  next  Annual  Meeting. 

The  Petersburgh  church  (later  Berlin)  also  approves  the 
General  or  Annual  Conference,  but  urges  certain  changes  in 
the  articles  of  union.  These  further  protect  church  independ- 
ence ;  favor  yearly  church  meetings  and  communions,  with 
visits  from  sister  churches ;  recommend  that  the  relation  be- 
tween the  churches  of  Conference  be  like  that  between  mem- 
bers of  the  same  church ;  oppose  entering  into  contract  to  pay 
the  missionaries  a  certain  sum;  and  favor  uniformity  of  faith, 
order  and  fellowship;  and  the  church  submits  a  brief  state- 
ment of  its  own  faith  and  practice. 

Again  the  subject  of  constitution-making  was  referred  to 
a  committee  that  was  made  up  as  follows : 

Deacon   Abraham   Dunham,   Piscataway. 

Elder  Henry  Clarke,  Brookfield. 

Jedediah  Davis,  Cohansey. 

Elder  Matthew  Stillman,  Hopkinton. 

Deacon  Clark  Burdick,  Newport. 

Elder  Jabez  Beebe,  Waterford. 

Stephen   Maxson,   Petersburgh. 

Elder  Amos  Stillman,  Bristol. 

This  committee  reported  a  constitution  of  ten  articles 
which  provided  (i)  a  name,  "The  Sabbatarian  General  Con- 
ference;" (2)  for  a  yearly  meeting  of  the  same;  (3)  that  the 
Conference  have  only  the  power  to  give  counsel;  (4)  that,  in 
any  given  church,  the  Conference  and  the  church's  yearly 
meeting  be  at  the  same  time;  (5)  for  the  usual  officers;  (6) 
that  each  church  have  one  vote,  that  of  a  majority  of  its  mes- 
sengers ;  (7)  for  the  determination  by  Conference  of  contro- 
versies between  churches;  (8)  for  the  report  of  the  disorderly 
walk  of  non-resident  members  by  any  church  clerk  having 
knowledge  thereof;  (9)  that  only  immersed  Sabbath-keepers 
are  eligible  to  churcb  membership;  and  (10)  for  amendments 
to  the  constitution  by  the  joint  agreement  of  Conference  and 

the  churches. 
(10) 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I902.  i6k 

1806. 

Berlin_,  N.  Y. — Twelve  messengers,  outside  the  Berlin 
church. 

Not  one  church  has  voted  against  the  proceedings  of  the 
last  Conference,  and  its  organization  is  now  completed. 

The  gracious,  fraternal  spirit  of  these  years  of  differing 
opinions,  continued  deliberations,  and  scattered  condition, 
must  be  recorded  as  a  witness  to  the  moral  and  intellectual 
greatness  of  the  men,  and  to  the  more  than  human  power  of 
true  religion. 

Hopkinton  rejoices  in  the  addition  of  202,  Newport  of 
about  40,  and  Brookfield  74;  and  the  total  membership  of 
about  1,200  in  1805  is  in  1806  over  1,500. 

The  circular  letter,  pervaded  by  spiritual  warmth,  exhorts 
to  brotherly  love  as  a  duty  of  the  first  magnitude,  and  as  an 
evidence  to  ourselves  and  the  world  of  our  having  passed 
from  death  unto  life. 

1807. 

COHANSEY,  N.  J. — It  was  voted,  this  year,  to  have  the 
minutes  and  circular  letter  printed,  and  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  prepare  them  for  the  press. 

A  letter  to  open  correspondence  with  brethren  in  Eng- 
land was  "approved  and  committed  to  the  care  of  Elder  Mat- 
lliew  Stillman,  to  be  forwarded  to  the  church  at  Hopkinton, 
for  them  to  forward  to  its  place  of  destination." 

A  letter  for  opening  correspondence  with  brethren  in  the 
western  parts  of  America  was  left  to  the  care  and  inspection 
of  the  church  at  Cohansey. 

The  recommendation  of  the  Conference  of  1806,  that 
there  be  printed  a  brief  history  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
Sabbatarian  churches  in  North  America,  having  met  with  the 
approval  of  the  churches  in  general,  it  was  voted  that  all  the 
information  respecting  such  rise  and  progress  be  forwarded 
to  the  church  at  Hopkinton ;  that  they  prepare  the  same  for 
the  press,  and  present  it  to  the  next  General  Conference  for 
inspection,  approbation,  etc. 

The  circular  letter  makes  grateful  mention  of  past  bless- 
ings, additions  to  the  churches,  conversions  to  the  Sabbath, 
and  the  harmony  of  the  Conference ;  and  exhorts  the  churches. 


l62  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

in  the  enjoyment  of  great  religious  freedom,  to  strive  with  all 
their  might  to  promote  the  declarative  glory  of  God  and  the 
happiness  of  one  another,  and  to  this  end  to  be  more  zealous 
in  sending  letters  and  messengers  to  the  Yearly  Conference. 
Three  new  members  had  been  added  and  one  restored  to  the 
Cohansey  church  since  this  Conference  opened ;  and  the  at- 
tention and  countenance  of  the  congregation  were  a  promise 
of  further  blessings,  such  as  God  was  able  and  willing  to  grant 
unto  all. 


HoPKiNTON,  R.  I. — The  largest  churches  were  Hopkin- 
ton,  764  members;  Berlin,  316;  Cohansey,  166.  74  having  been 
added;  and  Brookfield,  151,  32  additions. 

Among  the  more  important  items  of  business  it  was 
voted — 

Not  to  receive  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Conference  the 
church  on  the  west  fork  of  the  Monongahela  river,  Harrison 
County,  Va.,  because  of  its  practice  of  communing  with  First- 
day  Baptists. 

That  non-resident  members  who  may  be  walking  disorder- 
ly ought  to  be  reported  to  the  churches  where  they  are  in  cove- 
nant. 

That  four  or  five  ministers  visit,  in  turn,  the  church  at 
Burlington,   Conn. 

That  it  be  recommended  to  the  churches  to  call  forward 
and  set  apart  suitable  brethren,  if  such  they  have,  for  their 
pastoral  care. 

By  request  of  Brother  Daniel  Babcock,  that  it  be  recom- 
mended to  the  churches,  after  a  Psalm  or  hymn  shall  have 
been  read,  to  sing  the  same  without  lining  and  to  provide 
themselves  with  books  for  the  purpose. 

That  Brother  Henry  Burdick,  of  Newport,  and  others  be 
a  committee  to  collect  information  respecting  the  rise  and 
progress  of  the  Sabbatarian  order. 

And  that  250  copies  of  the  minutes  be  printed. 

The  Conference  of  1808  had  "the  most  numerous  attend- 
ance and  extensive  information  of  our  order  that  ever  has 
taken  place  on  the  American  continent ;  and  a  large  share  of 


GENERAL    CONFERENCE,     l8o2    TO     lf)02.  163 

unity,    comfort    and    consolation    has   been    the     consequence, 
through  the  love  of  our  common  Lord." 

The  circular  letter  emphasized  the  duty  of  love  and  chari- 
ty for  others,  but  as  regulated  by  God's  law ;  condemned  the 
course  of  those  who  tried  to  preach  and  teach  without  ability 
to  show  themselves  called  of  God  or  their  brethren;  and  of 
those  who  called  their  venerable  teachers  by  such  names  as 
formalists  and  oppressors,  and  refused  to  submit  to  the  order 
of  the  Lord's  house ;  and  urged  upon  all  to  put  themselves  un- 
der the  watchcare  of  the  church  into  the  bounds  of  which  they 
might  move. 

The  long  letter  to  the  church  in  Virginia  that  was  prac- 
ticing communion  with  the  Baptists,  is  a  model  of  gentleness 
and  strength.  It  opens  with  praise  for  the  redeeming  love  of 
God  and  a  declaration  of  love  for  the  distant  brethren ;  and  af- 
ter a  brief  reference  to  the  disputed  doctrines  of  election  and 
final  perseverance,  it  says,  in  part : 

Dear  brethren,  we  do  not  blame  you  for  loving  Christians 
of  any  denomination,  .  .  .  for  we  find  many  sweet  and 
comfortable  hours  in  joining  with  our  First-day  brethren  in 
the  worship  of  our  God ;  yet,  for  the  sake  of  good  order  and 
discipline  in  God's  house,  we  think  it  necessary  to  take  up  the 
cross  in  that  one  point,  that  is,  to  withhold  our  external  fel- 
lowship, in  token  that  we  do  not  fellowship  that  error. 
We  hope  you  will  see  the  propriety  of  our  conduct  and  put  on 
charity  for  us. 

i8o<j. 

Brookfii:i.I).  X.  ^'. — The  I  lopkinton  church  reported  171 
members  "absent  in  ditterent  parts  of  America." 

Elder  Henry  Clarke  was  authorized  to  collect  informa- 
tion, and  when  sufficient  funds  should  be  subscribed,  to  pub- 
lish a  book  on  the  rise  and  progress  of  Sabbatarian  Baptists 
in  America. 

It  was  voted,  as  the  opinion  of  Conference,  that,  in  the 
.sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  once  serving  round  of  the 
bread  and  wine  at  one  meeting  answers  the  design  of  the  in- 
stitution. 

The  churches  of  our  order  were  advised  to  send  messen- 
gers to  their  remote  and  scattered  branches  for  the  ]>urpose 


164  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

of  organizing  them  either  into  churches,  or  into  classes  or  so- 
cieties under  well-chosen  leadership. 

The  circular  letter  deplores  the  failure  to  subscribe  funds 
for  the  proposed  history  of  Sabbatarian  Baptists  in  America, 
as  an  evidence  of  "a  general  want  of  engagedness  in  the  great 
and  important  concerns  of  religion ;"  and  mentions  with  sor- 
row that  many  are  inclined  to  stop  travel  and  fellowship  with 
their  brethren  on  account  of  difference  of  judgment  in  small 
matters. 

On  Sabbath  day,  or,  as  the  record  is,  Saturday,  Elder 
Abram  Coon  preached  "a  very  pathetic  and  animated  dis- 
course" and  about  300  partook  of  the  communion. 

On  Sunday  there  was  preaching  by  Elders  William  Sat- 
terlee  and  Abram  Coon,  and  "the  discourses  were  solemn  and 
impressive ;  the  greatest  attention  paid  by  a  numerous  assem- 
bly (near  1,000),  the  youth  behaved  uncommonly  modest; 
and  scarce  one  person  but  what  appeared  instructed  by  the 
solemn  truths  delivered." 

1810. 

PiscATAWAY,  N.  J. — A  petition  from  the  Berlin  church 
that  there  be  two  Conferences,  one  for  the  Eastern  and  North- 
ern churches,  and  one  for  the  Southern  and  Western,  was  re- 
ceived and  its  discussion  postponed ;  as  were  questions  brought 
before  Conference  by  Elder  Henry  Clarke,  (i)  whether  a 
church  is  fully  officered  without  a  pastor,  (2)  relative  to  the 
duty  of  a  church  to  members  who  refuse  to  bear  any  part  of 
the  expense,  and  (3)  concerning  a  pastor,  when  the  church  re- 
fuses to  give  him  a  living  in  some  proportion  to  the  time  he 
spends  in  its  service. 

The  circular  letter  "acknowledges  with  sorrow  the  gen- 
eral declension  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  throughout  our 
Union;"  and  exhorts  to  diligence,  spiritual  and  peaceful  striv- 
ing, and  family  prayer. 

1811. 

HoPKiNTON,  R.  I. — About  26  members  of  Hopkinton  and 
Berlin,  living  in  the  town  of  Rome,  N.  Y.,  request  the  prayers 
of  Conference  and  ask  for  visits. 

The  consideration  of  the  subject  of  two  General  Con- 
ferences and   of   the  questions    presented    by    Elder    Henry 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I9O2.  165 

Clarkf  last  year,  was  again  postponed ;  and  the  question  of 
dismissing  members  to  churches  of  other  denominations 
''without  so  hard  a  censure  as  excommunication"  was  refer- 
red to  a  committee. 

The  circular  letter  laments  "that  a  day  of  trial  generally 
prevails  in  the  churches  of  our  order,"  though  recognizing  a 
degree  of  union  and  some  buddings  of  grace;  warns  against 
antinomianism,  that  one-legged  system  upon  which  some 
would  hop  on  for  heaven ;  exhorts  to  good  works  not  as  meri- 
torious of  salvation;  regrets  that  many  of  the  brethren,  near 
and  remote,  were  adopting  the  seventh-part-of-time  theory ; 
and  condemns  the  practice  of  open  communion  as  being  an 
external  fellowship  of  error. 

1812. 
Berlin,  N.  Y. — The  Berlin  church   reported    102   addi- 
tions and  a  membership  of  437. 

The  proposition  to  have  two  Conferences,  after  a  short 
deliberation,  was  dismissed  "as  not  being  thought  proper  at 
this  period." 

With  reference  to  the  questions  stated  by  Elder  Henry 
Clarke  in  18 10,  it  was  recommended  to  the  churches  to  call  to 
the  pastorate  only  persons  of  ability,  and  "endowed  with  quali- 
fications for  co-operating  with  the  w-ord  of  God;"  and  the 
brethren  were  exhorted  to  contribute  cheerfully  for  the  support 
of  the  gospel. 

It  was  agreed  by  the  Conference  that  a  church  has  the 
right  to  withdraw  communion  or  fellowship  from  its  elder  or 
pastor. 

The  church  at  DeRuyter,  "not  being  in  a  state  of  gospel 
travel,"  it  w^as  voted  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  visit  the 
church;  decide  on  the  difficulties,  and  report  at  the  next  Con- 
ference. 

And  it  was  recommended  to  each  church  to  draw  up  in 
outline  a  system  of  gospel  discipline  and  forward  the  same 
to  the  next  Conference. 

The  circular  letter  rejoices  "that  the  increase  of  the 
churches  of  the  Sabbatarian  order  has  been  considerable  dur- 
ing the  year  past,  especially  in  the  Northern  and  l*'astern 
churches;"  sorrows  that  "barrenness  has  been  cxperieiice(l  by 


l66  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS  : 

some  of  our  sister  churches"  in  the  South ;  and  calls  to  greater 
faithfulness  in  the  means  of  grace  and  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

1813. 

CoHANSEY,  N.  J. — Hopkinton  reported  a  great  reforma- 
tion and  large  additions,  a  private  communication  saving  up- 
wards of  200. 

It  was  "recommended  to  every  church  of  our  order  that 
can  with  convenience  to  send  out  a  travelling  preacher  to  visit 
brethren  and  destitute  churches  in  the  Union." 

Also,  that  every  church  write  a  letter  of  information  to 
the  church  where  the  Conference  is  to  be  held  three  months 
before  the  Conference;  and  that  that  church,  aided  by  this  in- 
formation, draft  the  yearly  circular  letter. 

The  circular  letter  regrets  the  backwardness  of  several 
chuiches  in  sending  letters  and  messengers,  w^hich  are  so  essen- 
tial to  .the  ends  of  Conference ;  but  speaks  of  that  annual  meet- 
mg  as  a  happy  feast  of  love. 

The  letter,  which  was  unusually  long,  breathes  both  piety 
and  patriotism;  and  its  burden  is  indicated  by  such  words  as 
these : 

"We  do  solemnly  warn  you  to  be  upon  your  guard 
against  the  evils  to  which  you  are  exposed  in  consequence 
of  the  present  state  of  our  country.  Never  was  there  a  time 
in  which  there  was  greater  need  than  at  present,  of  the  repeti- 
tion of  that  loud  and  solemn  injunction  on  all  the  people  of 
God,  'Be  not  conformed  to  this  world.'  " 

1814. 

Hopkinton,  R.  I. — Seven  of  the  nine  churches  represent- 
ed sent  messengers  and  8  reported  additions. 

The  Conference  voted  to  "utterly  refuse"  to  consider  a 
difficulty  between  an  individual  member  and  his  church. 

The  DeRuyter  church  being  in  a  "disconsolate  situation." 
having  laid  down  discipline,  and  in  the  judgment  of  Confer- 
ence, disorganized  itself,  it  was  recommended  to  the  brethren 
and  sisters  of  that  place,  as  many  as  can  consistently,  to  put 
themselves  under  the  watchful  care  of  some  other  church  or 
churches  of  our  fellowship,  or  embody  themselves  into  a 
church."  The  latter  course  was  deemed  the  more  consist- 
ent. 


GEXERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  ig02.  167 

The  circular  letter  rejoices  that  even  when  the  world  is 
in  commotion,  our  nation  involved  in  the  horrors  of  war,  and 
iniquity  abounding',  the  Lord  is  visiting  his  people  everywhere 
with  copious  effusions  of  grace,  and  his  servants  "are  march- 
ing forth  to  bear  the  lamp  of  the  Lord's  anointed  amidst  the 
gloom  of  deserts  and  regions  where  the  human  frame  is  al- 
most stift'ened  with  cold  or  scorched  with  the  burning  sun ;" 
and,  in  view  of  the  danger  of  annexing  human  inventions  to 
the  fast  increasing  Baptist  sentiments,  the  letter  exhorts  the 
brethren  to  deepest  humility. 

1815. 

Brookfield^  X.  Y. — Eleven  churches,  including  Alfred 
and  Rome,  not  yet  organized,  were  represented  by  27  messen- 
gers ;  and  the  Hopkinton  church  reported  880  members,  Ber- 
lin 443. 

DeRuyter  requests  the  prayer  of  the  fraternity  and  visits 
from  the  brethren. 

Caleb  Shepard  was  appointed  agent  for  the  Conference  in 
all  matters  relative  to  ''a.  lot  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  given 
to  the  Seventh-day  Baptists  for  a  burying  ground." 

It  was  voted  to  send  minutes  to  the  churches  in  propor- 
tion to  the  money  each  pays  toward  their  printing. 

The  discourses  by  Elder  Henry  Burdick  and  Elders  Sat- 
terlee  and  Stillman,  ''were  pathetic,  solemn  and  impressive; 
the  audience  was  large,  serious  and  attentive.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  that  there  was  not  the  least  disorder  apparent." 

The  circular  letter  rejoices  over  the  return  of  peace  to 
our  beloved  country ;  condemns  offensive  war  as  unchristian ; 
m  the  interest  of  world-wide  peace  favors  the  spread  of  the 
Scriptures  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Redeemer  throughout 
every  clime ;  and  exhorts  to  steadfastness  in  gospel  truth,  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord,  in  obedience,  and  in  Sabbath-keeping. 

1816. 

PiscATAWAV,  N.  J. — Eleven  churches  and  societies  were 
lepresentcd  by  26  messengers. 

Hopkinton  reported  947  members;  Jjcrlin,  416;  lirookfield, 
180;  Cohansey,   115. 

\^oted  that  it  would  not  ])e  accordinir  to  good  order  for 


l68  SEVKNTJi-DAN'   liAI'TISTS  : 

an  ordained  elder  to  administer  the  ordinances,  nnless  a  mem- 
ber of  one  of  our  churches. 

The  receipt  of  a  number  of  copies  of  the  annual  report  of 
the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  thankfully  ac- 
knowledged. 

Five  sermons  were  preached  on  Sabbath,  Sunday  and 
Monday,  and  the  sacrament  administered  Sabbath  afternoon. 

The  circular  letter  exhorts  to  prayer  and  the  service  of 
others,  and  to  efforts  for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen. 

1817. 

HoPKiNTON,  R.  I. — Eleven  churches,  the  Virginia 
churches  seldom  reporting,  were  represented  by  35  messen- 
gers. 

Alfred  and  DeRuyter  were  received  into  union  with  the 
Conference,  which,  this  year,  was  called  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist or  Sabbatarian  General  Conference. 

The  Alfred  church  requests  the  Conference  to  take  "the 
lead  of  the  missionary  plan  which  is  already  begun  in  several 
churches  of  our  order." 

Accordingly,  with  the  exception  of  the  Waterford  messen- 
gers, a  method  of  procedure  was  unanimously  agreed  upon  for 
the  consideration  of  the  churches  and  local  societies. 

The  General  Conference,  in  its  annual  sessions,  was  to 
be  the  central  society;  but  to  be  represented,  in  the  direction 
of  missionary  operations,  by  a  committee  consisting,  if  practica- 
ble, of  one  member  from  each  local  society,  and  to  be  denomi- 
nated The  Board  of  Trustees  and  Directors  of  Missions  of  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Order  in  America. 

The  circular  letter  mourns  over  the  flood  of  opposition 
to  the  Sabbath  and  the  neglect  of  it  by  both  parents  and  child- 
ren;  and  exhorts  to  diligence  in  discipline — self,  family  and 
church. 

1818. 

Berlin^  N.  Y. — The  Lost  Creek  and  Salem  churches,  of 
Virginia,  report  a  destitute  condition,  and  request  ministerial 
assistance. 

It  was  recommended  to  the  churches,  branches  and  socie- 
ties "to  set  apart  the  first  Second-day  of  the  week    in    each 


GENERAL  COXFEREXCK,  l8o2  TO  I(J02.  iCk) 

month,  at  4  o'clock  P.  M.,  for  special  united  prayer  for  the 
prosperity  of  Zion,  the  promulgation  of  the  gospel,"  etc. 

On  Sabbath-day  there  were  three  sermons  and  the  Lord's 
supper,  on  Sunday  two  sermons  and  the  ordination  of  deacons. 
The  discourses  "were  well  adapted  to  convey  the  most  useful 
knowledge  and  instruction  in  the  principal  doctrine  and  duties 
of  the  Christian  religion.  The  auditory,  though  numerous 
and  crowded,  remarkably  solemn,  decent  and  attentive.'' 

The  Conference  was  "unanimously  agreed  that  the  time 
was-  fully  come  for  putting  the  missionary  plan  in  motion  ;"  and 
a  Board  of  Managers  was  appointed  consisting  of  Elder 
Henry  Clarke,  Brookfield,  N.  Y. ;  Deacon  Daniel  Babcock, 
Hopkinton,  R.  I. ;  Deacon  John  Green.  Berlin,  N.  Y. ;  Barzilla 
F.  Randolph,  Piscataway,  N.  J.,  and  Abel  Burdick,  Alfred. 
N.  Y. 

It  was  voted  to  substitute  the  words  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist for  Sabbatarian  in  the  name  of  the  Conference. 

The  Board  of  Missions  chose  Elder  Matthew  Stiliman  as 
leading  missionary,  with  Brother  Amos  R.  Wells  "as  his  con- 
comitant or  assistant." 

The  long  circular  letter  of  this  year,  prepared  b}-  Deacon 
Daniel  Babcock,  of  Hopkinton,  Deacon  John  Green,  of  Ber- 
lin, and  Brother  Abel  Burdick,  of  Alfred,  was  a  hopeful,  able 
and  eloquent  missionary  address  to  the  churches,  in  favor  of 
world-wide  preaching  and  Bible  distribution  by  the  ministry, 
liberally  supported  by  the  laity ;  and  on  the  ground  of  holy 
prophecy,  the  promises  of  Jehovah,  our  Savior's  command,  the 
signs  of  a  leading  Divine  Providence,  and  the  already  mani- 
fest results  of  foreign  missions. 

1819. 

Brookfield,  N.  Y. — Messengers,  32.  Bretiu-en  in 
Adams,  N.  Y.,  request  to  be  visited  by  preaching  gifts.  A 
letter  was  received  from  the  Rev.  Robert  Burnside,  of  London, 
an  answer  to  which  was  prepared  by  William  B.  Maxson. 

Brookfield  having  requested  the  ordination  of  Eli  J>. 
Bailey,  and  DeRuyter,  of  John  Green,  the  Conference  "heard 
a  declaration  of  their  views  respecting  their  call  to  the  minis- 
try," and  voted  that  each  of  them  i)reach  Sabbath  morning. 

On  the  Sabbath  tlic  sermons  of  these  brcthreiL  after  an 


I/O  SEVENTII-OAV   IIAPTIS  IS  : 

intermission  of  20  minutes,  were  followed  ])y  a  sacramental 
discourse. 

The  exercises  in  the  ordination  of  Brethren  Bailey  and 
Green  to  the  work  of  evangelists,  iirst-day  morning,  consisted 
of  the  ordination  sermon,  consecrating  prayer,  charge,  right 
hand  of  fellowship,  prayer,  and  a  closing  discourse. 

The  Conference  recommended  to  the  Missionary  Board 
for  missionaries  Elders  William  Satterlee,  Amos  R.  Wells  and 
William  B.  Maxson. 

The  subject  of  the  circular  letter  was  the  duty  of  separa- 
tion from  the  world  as  essential  to  discipleship ;  and  the  allied 
duty  of  wholesome  church  discipline. 

The  recommended  constitution  for  a  Board  of  Trustees 
and  Directors  of  Missions  was  approved  by  Conference. 

Elder  Eli  S.  Bailey  was  instructed  to  write  to  the  Baptist 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions  expressing  thanks  for  copies  of 
their  report,  and  stating  our  views  of  the  Sabbath  ;  also  to  send 
them  the  minutes  of  our  Conference  and  Board  of  Missions. 

The  first  report  of  missionary  labor,  that  of  Amos  R. 
Wells,  who  had  visited  New  Jersey,  Virginia,  Ohio  and  Penn- 
sylvania, was  made  that  year.  But  it  does  not  belong  to  this 
paper  further  to  record  the  history  of  our  missions. 

1820. 

PiscATA\VA\%  N.  J. — ]\Iessengers,  27.  The  question  of 
publishing  a  "Seventh-day  Baptist  Magazine"'  was  referred  to 
the  Board  of  Missions. 

The  office  of  Conference  Secretary  was  this  year  made  a 
standing  one ;  and  Elder  Eli  S.  Bailey  was  elected  to  the  po- 
sition of  Recording  and  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  in- 
structed to  write  to  the  churches  in  Europe. 

Steps  were  also  taken  looking  toward  more  complete  and 
systematic  Conference  records  and  church  reports. 

The  circular  letter  extolled  the  divine  love ;  exhorted  the 
brethren  to  keep  themselves  in  the  love  of  (iod,  and  to  love 
one  another  and  all  mankind ;  and  pleaded  with  "our  dear 
brethren  in  the  ministry"  to  walk  carefully,  preach  faithfully, 
encourage  those  young  in  the  work,  and  to  practice  kindness 
toward  preachers  and  people  of  other  denominations. 


GENERAL    COXFEREXCE,     l8o2    TO     I902.  I7I 

LETTERS. 

The  letters  received  by  the  Yearly  Meetings  and  Conter- 
tnces,  chiefly  from  the  churches,  are  productions  of  great  merit, 
value  and  interest. 

They  generally  open  with  a  gracious,  devout  and  extended 
salutation ;  and  sometimes  close  as  formally  as  this,  from 
Brookfield,  in  1814:  "We  think  it  improper,  respectable 
brethren,  to  detain  you  with  a  lengthy  epistle ;  therefore,  with 
due  deference  and  respect  we  conclude." 

Differences  of  opinion  as  to  ways  and  means,  and  doctrine, 
are  held  and  expressed  in  a  most  Christian  spirit. 

There  was  a  more  or  less  widespread  belief  in  the  near- 
coming  of  our  Lord ;  and,  generally,  the  letters  discoursed 
upon  brotherly  love,  faith,  piety  and  holiness ;  prayer,  for  one 
another,  for  foreign  churches,  and  for  the  world;  and  loyalty 
to  truth  and  duty,  to  church  and  denomination.  Sometimes 
there  is  deep  sorrow  over  backslidings ;  sometimes  great  joy 
over  religious  and  moral  revivals. 

Emphasis  was  placed  upon  the  necessity  of  having  for  the 
ministry  men  of  learning,  piety,  zeal  and  uprightness.  In  1818 
the  Lost  Creek  and  Salem  churches  of  Virginia  join  in  ask- 
ing Conference  to  '"send  forth  to  our  relief  a  teacher  whose 
superior  ability,  external  deportment,  and  innate  virtues  are 
such  as  will  insure  confidence  and  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God 
our  Saviour.  Let  him  be  furnished  with  such  a  recommenda- 
tion, in  addition,  as  will  remove  every  doubt  (fear)  of  his  be- 
ing an  impostor,  as  we  have  been  much  imposed  on  by  men 
of  that  description ;  which  hath  brought  reproach  on  the  Sab- 
batarian societies  in  this  quarter.  Let  his  system  embrace  a 
belief  that  he  hath  been  called  to  preach  to  sinners,  for  such 
arc  we." 

But  a  high  type  of  the  breadth,  depth  and  far-seeing  vis- 
ion of  those  days  is  a  letter  from  the  then  venerable  Elder 
Henry  Clarke,  of  Brookfield,  to  the  Conference  in  1814. 

After  expressing  gratitude  for  consolation  and  instruction 
obtained  from  the  General  Conferences ;  a  sen.se  of  loss  in  the 
death  of  six  of  the  most  able  preachers ;  and  regret  for  the  di- 
visions and  disorderly  conduct  of  some  sections  and  churches. 
he  proceeds  to  urge  upon  the  attention  of  his  brethren  the  great 


172  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

grace  of  Gocl,  and  then  the  importance  of  better  and  more 
faithful  church  government;  of  a  learned  ministry:  of  a  care- 
fully and  ably  prepared  gospel  "Discipline,"  for  the  doctrinal 
and  practical  regulation  of  the  life  and  action  of  the  churches ; 
and  of  the  General  Conference,  as  the  highest  earthly  tribunal 
before  which  to  bring  the  more  weighty  problems  that  may 
from  time  to  time  confront  the  churches. 

He  further  urged  the  need  of  a  printing  and  publication 
enterprise  for  our  own  order;  and,  in  view  of  the  great  ex- 
pense involved,  suggested  that  "perhaps  the  States  may  en- 
courage by  granting  a  lottery;"  also  the  importance  of  having 
"a  seminary  of  learning  under  the  Sabbatarian  control  suffi- 
cient to  teach  such  pious,  well-established  youth  who  are  de- 
signed for  the  ministry,  all  necessary  learning  in  the  ancient 
languages,  for  a  right  understanding  of  the  Bible.  .  .  Is 
there  no  zealous,  wealthy  man  or  men  in  our  order,"  he  asks, 
"that  will  send  his  son  to  acquire  suitable  knowledge  to  te  an 
instructor  or  to  preside  in  such  seminary?  And  is  there  no 
one  who  can  send  his  son  to  learn  the  printer's  art?" 

Toward  the  needed  funds  he  himself  offered  to  subscribe 
freely. 

His  approval  of  the  lottery  is  an  illustration  of  our  growth 
in  moral  standards;  but,  as  years  before,  Elder  Clarke  was  a 
leader  in  advocating  the  missionary  movement,  so,  by  this  same 
large-hearted  and  broad-minded  man,  the  Conference,  in  the 
early  years  of  its  history,  had  brought  before  it  the  very  ideas 
for  which  our  Tract  and  Education  Societies  now  stand. 

1821. 

HoPKiNTON,  R.  I. — Thirteen  churches  were  represented 
by  51  messengers. 

The  Brookfield  church  made  inquiry  concern'ng  the  re- 
ception of  members  baptized  by  an  unordained  adminis  rator; 
and  Conference  pronounced  as  valid  baptism  "by  immersion  by 
some  one  whom  the  candidates  thought  at  the  time  of  their 
baptism  was  gospelly  qualified.  Nevertheless  we  view  it  to  be 
improper  for  any  one  to  attempt  to  administer  that  holy  ordi- 
nance unless  he  be  legally  authorized." 

It  was  recommended  to  the  churches  of  Hopk'nton, 
Watcrford  and  Berlin  that  they  send  ministers  or  messengers 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  1902.  I73 

to  the  Burlington  church,  that,  if  possible,  difficulties  might 
he  settled  and  relief  administered. 

To  the  question,  Is  it  gospel  wise  to  discipline  a  brother 
out  of  the  church  on  account  of  his  belonging  to  a  Masonic  in- 
stitution, provided  his  moral  character  in  other  respects  be  ir- 
reproachable ?  the  Conference  answered,  No. 

There  were  seven  discourses  preached — three  at  overflow  . 
services  b}'  the  waterside.     The  Sabbath  assembly  was  "atten- 
tive and   solemn,"   and  the  commiuiion   was   administered  to 
nearly  300  persons. 

The  circular  letter  was  devoted  chiefly  to  the  importance 
of  family  prayer.  "What  horror  must  seize  the  mind  to  see 
children  sinking  down  to  endless  woe,"  crying,  "Oh  cruel 
parents,  you  have  taken  much  pains  to  teach  us  things  of  less 
concern,  but  you  never  once  told  us  we  had  souls  to  save ;  you 
never  taught  us  the  fear  of  the  Lord;  yovi  never  once  in  our 
hearing  put  up  one  prayer  to  the  throne  of  grace  for  our  poor 
souls ;  we  have  followed  your  cursed  examples  until  it  is  now 
all  too  late." 

1822. 

Petersburgh,  N.  Y. — Of  the  16  churches  reported,  10 
were  represented  by  21  messengers,  and  5  by  letter  only. 

In  answer  to  inquiries.  Conference  expressed  the  opinion 
that  Titus  3:  10  refers  to  heresy  only;  and  Matt.  18:  15  to  pri- 
vate trespass. 

The  Cohansey  (Shiloh)  church  requested  that  the  time 
of  Conference  be  changed  from  October  to  June. 

There  were  five  "solemn  and  impressive"  discourses  to 
"very  large  and  attentive  congregations,"  and  "no  circumstance 
of  disorder  or  confusion  occurred  during  the  meeting." 

The  circular  letter  rejoices  in  the  progress  of  the  Re- 
deemer's cause  at  home  and  abroad ;  and  that  the  Sabbath  is 
becoming  a  subject  of  inquiry  in  many  parts  of  the  land.  And 
for  the  sake  of  the  Sabbath  it  exhorts  the  brethren  to  be  more 
pure  in  moral  conduct ;  to  give  due  attention  to  the  public  wor- 
ship of  God ;  not  to  endanger  religion  and  truth  when  moving 
to  new  parts;  not  to  sacrifice  the  Sabbath  in  marriage;  to  pro- 
mote the  preaching  of  the  word  of  life  by  encouraging  the  im- 


174  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

provement  of  talents  and  by  support'ing-  the  ministry;  and,- final- 
ly, in  meekness  and  love,  to  avoid  unprofitable  disputations. 

1823. 

Brookfield,  N.  Y.^ — There  were  40  messengers  from  15 
churches,  and  letters  only,  from  two. 

With  broad  and  sweet  charity  the  circular  letter  makes 
.grateful  mention  of  the  gospel's  progress  in  heathen  lands,  and 
of  revivals  of  religion  in  various  parts  of  America;  rejoices 
that  some  who  once  called  us  Jews  and  heretics  now  call  us 
fellow-Christians,  and  even  accept  the  Bible  Sabbath ;  and  then 
eloquently  pleads  for  more  labor  and  larger  contributions  for 
the  cause  of  home  missions. 

1824. 

Shiloh,  N.  J.— Conference  met  this  year  and  the  next  in 
June  instead  of  in  the  autumn.'  There  were  38  messengers 
from  12  churches,  and  four  sent  letters  only. 

A  committee  was  appointed,  by  request,  to  visit  the  Al- 
fred church,  and  if  thought  advisable,  to  ordain  Daniel  Bab- 
cock  and  Richard  Hull  as  evangelists. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  make  a  selection  of  hymns  ; 
and  in  case  of  sufficient  encouragement,  to  publish  the  same. 

There  were  six  discourses  and  the  Lord's  supper,  besides 
"several  discourses  delivered  in  different  places  in  the  vicinity 
during  the  sitting  of  Conference." 

The  circular  letter  sees  in  the  increased  number  of  Zion's 
travellers,  through  the  effusions  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  the 
Divine  blessing  upon  Bible  and  Missionary  Societies,  signs 
that  "that  bright  era  begins  to  dawn  when  truth  shall  dif- 
fuse its  mild  yet  powerful  influence  through  every  clime;'' 
and  exhorts  the  churches  to  acknowledge  the  supreme  excel- 
lencies of  the  Bible,  obediently  and  practically. 

1825. 

HoPKiNTON,  R.  I. — Thirty-four  messengers  from  12 
churches,  and  letters  only,  from  five.  Two  letters  were  read 
from  the  Rev.  Robert  Burnside,  of  London. 

Fourteen  brethren  were  recommended  as  suitable  to  be 
employed  by  the  General  Board  of  Missions. 

There  were  eight  discourses  and  the  Lord's  supper. 


A   GKOLI'    Ol-    DRNOMINATIONAL    LAY    WORKl'.RS. 
Joseph   Goodrich.  Benjamin    Maxson. 

William   Stilhnan.  Lester   T.    Rogers. 


See    Biograf'liical   Skctclics.    p.   1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.  1/5 

In  view  of  low  religious  and  moral  standards,  the  circular 
letter  dwells  upon  the  importance  to  Christian  character,  es- 
pecially in  the  ministry,  of  unshaken  firmness  in  one's  own 
principles,  and  of  unbounded  love  towards  others. 

1826. 

Berlin^  N.  Y. — Fifteen  churches  sent  38  messengers,  and 
two,  letters  only. 

Two  brethren  were  appointed  to  visit  Fox  Township, 
Pennsylvania,  at  the  expense  of  Conference,  and,  if  deemed 
advisable,  to  organize  a  church. 

The  proposed  selection  of  hymns  had  been  published ;  and 
a  committee  appointed  to  examine  the  work,  reported  most 
favorably  and  recommended  its  general  use. 

It  was  also  recommended  that  a  book  by  Rev.  Mr.  Burn- 
side,  of  London,  entitled  "Remarks  on  the  Dififerent  Sentiments 
Entertained  in  Christendom  Relative  to  the  Weekly  Sabbath," 
be  republished  in  America. 

Conference  voted  that  it  was  not  gospel  wise  to  dismiss 
from  church  membership  one  in  good  standing,  merely  upon 
his  request,  and  without  reference  to  his  joining  some  other 
church. 

There  were  six  discourses  before  Conference,  besides  sev- 
eral others  in  the  vicinity,  "all  of  which  were  numerously  at- 
tended ;"  and,  on  the  Sabbath,  the  Lord's  supper. 

The  circular  letter  was  a  solemn  and  stirring  charge  to 
the  churches  to  be  pure  in  heart  and  life,  and  to  help  send  the 
gospel  beyond  the  "confines  of  illuminated  yVmerica"  into  all 
the  world. 

A  letter  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Burnside,  who  had  died  in 
April,  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  an  interesting  Magazine ; 
but  requests  that  nothing  except  letters  be  sent  him,  on  ac- 
count of  the  "enormous  expense;"  describes  certain  fanatical 
and  unworthy  observers  of  the  Seventh-day;  mentions  a  book 
on  "The  Christian  Sabbath,"  by  the  Rev.  G.  Ilolden,  A.  M. ; 
gives  an  account  of  the  kind  reception  of  his  own  book;  and 
tells  of  his  efl-'orts  to  spread  Sabliath  truth. 

1827. 

Brookfield,  N.  Y. — Letters  only  from  four  churches:  48 
messengers  from  t6. 


176  SEVENTH-DAY   P.APTISTS  : 

It  uas  declared  to  be  the  sense  of  the  Conference  that  the 
Sabbath  begins  at  evening;  that  brethren  who  are  in  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  be  asked  to  withdraw  from  that  body;  that 
churches  not  now  belonging-  to  the  Conference  be  asked  to 
represent  themselves  by  letter  or  messenger ;  and  that  the  last 
Fifth-day  in  December  be  recommended  as  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer  for  a  revival  of  religion,  and  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel  throughout  the  world. 

The  circular  letter,  in  view  of  the  promise  of  a  finally  tri- 
umphant gospel  dwells  upon  the  duty  of  Christians  to  be  mor- 
ally separate  from  the  world,  and  to  love  and  labor  for  the 
spiritually  poor  and  needy  everywhere. 

1828. 

PiscATAw^w,  N.  J. — Letters  only  from  eight  churches ; 
22  messengers  from  10. 

Copies  of  the  funeral  sermon  of  the  late  Rev.  Robert 
Burnside ;  pamphlets  in  defence  of  the  Sabbath ;  and  a  letter, 
had  been  received  from  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Shenston,  of  London ; 
and,  in  return,  a  letter  and  three  copies  of  our  minutes  were 
ordered  sent  to  Mr.  Shenston. 

Conference  recommended  "the  institution  of  Sabbath 
schools,  to  all  our  churches ;"  and  requested  that  churches  ask- 
ing for  admission  send  written  "statements  of  their  religious 
sentiments." 

"A  large  and  attentive  assembly  was  present  to  hear  the 
word  preached ;  and  during  the  deliberations  of  the  Conference 
a  perfect  harmony  prevailed.'' 

The  circular  letter  set  forth  with  great  fullness  the  right 
of  church  government ;  and  its  usefulness,  when  administered 
righteously. 

1829. 

HoPKiNTON,  R.  L— Thirty-nine  messengers  from  13 
churches ;  letters  only  from  10. 

In  recording  the  admission  of  two  churches  into  Confer- 
ence, it  is  stated  .that,  in  "the  opinion  of  the  committee  those 
churches  embrace  in  their  articles  the  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith  in  the  atonement  of  Christ." 

The  Conference  voted  to  send  a  statement  of  its  views 
"on  the   subject  of   justification"   to  the   chtirch   in   Hayfield. 
(11) 


A  GROUP  Ol'"  I)I:N()MINATI0N.\L  lav  WORKi'.RS. 
Alfred   Stillmaii.  Paul    Stillnian. 

John    P.rigiit.  Jason    B.    Wells. 

See    BiDi^nit'Itical   Sk-etclws.    p.    1361. 


GENERAL    COXFERExXCE,     l8o2    TO     I902.  I77 

Pa. ;  "disclaimed  having  dominion  over  the  discipline  of  any- 
individual  church;''  instructed  the  Corresponding  Secretary 
"to  communicate  with  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  re- 
specting their  passing  any  law  relative  to  the  Sabbath,  provid- 
ed he  shall  deem  it  necessary ;"  pronounced  the  "practice  of 
members  withdrawing  from  churches''  as  unscriptural ;  and 
recommended  to  the  denomination  a  proposed  weekly  paper, 
to  be  published  by  John  Maxson,  of  Homer,  N.  Y. 

At  the  several  and  largely  attended  preaching  services 
"good  order  and  seriousness  remarkably  prevailed." 

The  circular  letter,  after  reference  to  the  great  privileges 
of  united  effort  and  fraternal  fellowship  aft'orded  by  the  Con- 
ference, discourses  plainly  and  forcibly  upon  the  necessity  of 
consistency  between  profession  and  walk,  on  the  part  of  both 
ministry  and  people. 

1830. 

Alfred,  N.  Y. — Seventeen  churches  sent  42  messengers ; 
and  seven,  letters  only. 

There  had  beeen  interesting  correspondence  with  several 
Seventh-day  Baptist  ministers  in  England,  and  with  the  Rev, 
yir.  Frey,  a  converted  Jew,  on  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath. 

In  reply  to  a  memorial  relating  to  Free  ^Masonry,  Con- 
ference recommended  that  the  churches  withdraw  fellowship 
from  all  Masonic  brethren  who  could  not  be  prevailed  upon, 
by  mildness  and  forbearance,  to  sever  their  connection  with 
the  fraternity. 

In  the  matter  of  reprinting  Rev.  Mr.  Burnside's  treatise 
on  the  Sabbath,  the  statement  was  made  to  Conference  that 
because  many  subscribers  had  not  taken  the  book  and  others 
had  not  paid,  only  about  $200  had  been  received  toward  the 
cost,  which  was  nearly  $r)00. 

At  this  Conference  there  were  eight  sermons  to  large,  or- 
derly and  serious  audiences ;  baptism ;  and  the  Lord's  supper. 

The  subject  of  the  circular  letter  was  unity  of  faith  and 
action ;  and  s])ecial  mention  was  luadc  of  The  Protestant  Sen- 
tinel as  a  promising  moans  of  denominational  growth. 

1831. 

rKTKRSiiURGii,  X.  ^'. — Twcnty-fivo  churches  represented, 
'7  ''>'  55  nicssengers,  and  8  b}-  letters  only. 


378  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

A  request  from  the  church  in  Hayfield,  Pa.,  relating  to 
the  estabHshment  of  a  yearly  meeting  in  that  region  was  re- 
ferred to  the  Missionary  Society. 

A  committee  of  five  was  appointed  to  draft  an  expose  of 
doctrinal  views,  and  to  present  the  same  at  next  Conference. 

The  Conference  recommended  the  formation  of  local  tract 
societies,  auxiliary  to  a  General  Tract  Committee  to  be  appoint- 
ed by  Conference,  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  the  publica- 
tion and  circulation  of  denominational  tracts.  The  Execu- 
tive Committee  of  the  Missionary  Society  was  made  said  Gen- 
eral Committee  for  the  first  year;  and  the  editor  of  The  Prot- 
estant Sentinel  was  requested  to  publish  an  article  concerning 
the  subject. 

Again  with  characteristic  breadth  and  hope  the  circular 
letter  rejoices  in  the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom 
within  our  own  connection  and  throughout  the  land.  But 
great  revivals  are  often  followed  by  indifference  and  even  di- 
visions ;  and,  with  much  warmth  and  power,  the  letter  exhorts 
to  diligence  and  faithfulness  in  Sabbath-keeping  and  public 
worship ;  in  prayer  for  the  spread  of  righteousness  and  an 
increased  ministry ;  in  contributions  and  work  for  the  ]\Iaster's 
cause ;  and  in  all  holiness  of  life. 

1832. 

Brookfield,  N.  Y. — Twenty  churches  send  45  messen- 
gers, and  nine,  letters  only. 

The  custom  of  appointing  committees  on  petitions,  on  the 
state  of  the  Union,  etc.,  seems  to  have  begun  at  about  this 
time. 

Some  difficulty  existed  between  Elder  Amos  Satterlee 
and  the  i^Iissionary  Board ;  a  committee  reported  in  favor  of 
referring  the  question  to  the  Missionary  Society;  but  Confer- 
ence refused  to  accept  the  report,  and  kept  the  matter  in  its 
own  hands.  This  illustrates  how  gradually  the  missionary  or- 
ganization became  independent  of  the  Conference. 

It  was  voted  to  receive  ministers  into  Conference  only  af- 
ter examination. 

The  Conference  appointed  a  day  of  humiliation  for  sin, 
and  of  prayer  and  fasting  that  God  would  save  the  nation  from 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.  1/9 

threatened  judgnients;  and  revive  his  work  throughout    the 
\\orld. 

The  circular  letter  dwelt  upon  the  importance  of  foreign 
as  well  as  home  missions,  to  spiritual  prosperity,  the  welfare 
of  sinners  and  the  glory  of  God. 

1833- 
Shiloii.    X.    J. — There    were    25     messengers     from     11 
churches,  and  letters  only  from  16. 

This  Conference  voted  unanimously  in  favor  of  total  ab- 
stinence from  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  except  as  a  medicine. 

A  plan  was  instituted  for  the  supply  of  the  Newport 
church,  by  funds  from  the  churches  in  Rhode  Island,  Connec- 
ticut, New  York  and  New  Jersey. 

Conference  declined  to  give  advice  relative  to  the  location 
of  The  Protestant  Sentinel;  but  recommended  that  subscribers 
express  opinions,  and  that  the  people  give  the  paper  a  more 
liberal  support. 

It  was  recommended  that  the  days  of  the  week  be  distin- 
guished, "ordinarily,"  according  to  Scripture. 

The  expose  of  doctrines  submitted  for  the  consideration 
of  the  churches  and  for  action  at  the  next  Conference  related 
to  God,  His  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit;  to  sin,  the  atonement, 
justifying  faith  and  regeneration,  and  to  good  works  as  the 
necessary  fruit  of  the  new  birth;  to  the  resurrection,  judgment, 
eternal  life  and  eternal  damnation;  to  the  inspiration  of  the 
Scriptures  and  the  authority  of  the  Decalogue ;  to  the  Sab- 
bath, the  church,  baptism  and  the  laying  on  of  hands;  and  to 
the  Lord's  supper,  to  which  only  those  deemed  worthy  of 
church  membership  should  be  invited. 

There  appear  this  year  abstracts  of  18  church  letters. 
They  reveal  the  need  and  desire  for  a  revival ;  and  the  message 
of  the  circular  letter  was.  Watch ! 

1834. 
DeRuyter,  N.  Y. — Of  34  churches  represented,  30  sent 
61  messengers. 

At  this  Conference  a  committee  was  apix)inted  to  draft 
rules  of  order;  and  by  request  of  the  Missionary  Society  ar- 
rangements were  made  for  a  missionary  discourse  and  collec- 
tion, on  First-day. 


l8o  SEVENTH-DAV   IJAPTISTS  : 

Again  and  again  Conference  refused  to  consider  the  case 
of  disaffected  individuals;  but  it  would  send  brethren  even 
long  distances  to  help  a  church  settle  difificulties  affecting  the 
whole  body. 

By  request  of  the  Scott  church  it  was  voted  to  send  an 
efficient  minister  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  connection,  fur- 
nished with  tracts,  to  speak  in  public  and  private  in  behalf  of 
God's  holy  Sabbath.  He  was  to  be  given  credentials,  and  the 
churches  were  asked  to  take  collections  for  the  support  of  the 
movement. 

William  B.  Maxson,  Alexander  Campbell,  alternate,  was 
named  by  the  presbytery  to  labor  thus  for  the  "extension  of 
the  doctrines  and  observances  of  the  church." 

A  suggestion  to  form  the  denomination  into  Associations, 
delegates  from  which  should  constitute  the  General  Confer- 
ence, was  laid  on  the  table. 

Again  it  was  recommended  that  local  Tract  Societies  be 
organized  to  obtain  funds,  that  a  General  Tract  Society  might 
be  formed. 

It  was  also  recommended  that  local  Educational  Socie- 
ties be  formed,  to  raise  funds  for  the  aid  of  young  men  study- 
ing for  the  ministry. 

The  first  recorded  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  to  the 
brethren  and  friends  of  DeRuyter  for  their  hospitality. 

At  a  session  of  the  presbytery  or  ministers,  resolutions 
were  passed  against  Sabbath  journeys  and  weddings ;  and  in 
favor  of  an  annual  session  of  the  presbytery  previous  to  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Conference,  the  next  session  to  be  ad- 
dressed by  William  B.  Maxson. 

The  circular  letter  discoursed  upon  the  nature,  evidences, 
advantages  and  necessity  of  union  in  Christian  feeling  and  ef- 
fort. 

1835. 

HoPKiNTON^  R.  L — There  were  45  messengers  from  20 
c] lurches  and  letters  only,  from  17. 

The  subject  of  further  Sabbath  extension  work  was  re- 
ferred to  the  Missionary  Society, 

It  was  voted  to  recommend  the  forming  of  the  churches 
into  three  Associations — the  Eastern,  Middle  and  Western. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.  181 

Unnecessary  absence  from  the  Lord's  supper  was  declar- 
ed to  be  matter  for  church  discipline, 

A  delegation  of  three  ministers  and  Mirce  laymen  was 
appointed  to  attend  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Rhode  Island 
Evangelical  Consociation. 

Again  Conference  recommended  a  day  of  fasting,  humili- 
ty and  prayer,  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  communion  on  the  Sabbath  was  "a  comfortable  and 
refreshing  season." 

The  abstracts  of  28  church  letters  reveal  a  state  of  re- 
ligion only  moderately  encouraging. 

After  reference  to  widespread  antinomian  and  lil>eral  sen- 
timents regarding  many  errors,  and  to  the  Sabbath  as  a  bul- 
wark against  these,  the  circular  letter  dwells  upon  the  import- 
ance of  the  Biblical  instruction  of  the  youth ;  the  purity  rather 
than  the  size  of  a  church;  and  of  parental  government  in  the 
homes  of  ministers,  deacons  and  private  Christians. 

1836. 

Alfred,  X.  Y. — Thirty-three  churches  reported  to  Con- 
ference, some  directly,  and  some  through  their  Associations ; 
and  were  represented  by  58  messengers  or  delegates. 

It  was  voted  that  Conference  meet  next  year,  and  there- 
after once  in  three  years :  and  be  composed  of  delegates  from 
Associations. 

One  Elder,  R.  W.  Jones,  was  "suspended  from  the  work 
of  the  ministry"  because  of  unfitness  for  the  office. 

Strong  resolutions  were  passed  against  human  slavery : 
"the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  wines  and  fermented  liquors  as  a 
beverage ;"  "clothing  ourselves  in  black  at  the  death  of  a 
friend  ;"  and  in  favor  of  higher  standards  of  church,  family  and 
individual  piety. 

The  constitution  was  amended  to  provide  for  triennial  ses- 
sions, and  make  the  relation  of  Conference  to  Associations  and 
churches  that  of  an  advisory  council.  Further  amendments 
could  be  made  by  Conference  after  their  consideration,  first, 
by  the  Associations. 

This  Conference  arranged  for  the  preparation  of  a  volume 
of  questions  relating  to  New  Testament  history,  doctrines  and 


]82  SEVENTH-I).\\'    1!A  I'lISTS  : 

duties,  for  use  in  our  Sabbath  schools  and  Bible  classes ;  and 
for  the  writing  of  tracts. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  "general 
coldness  and  apath}- ;"  and  a  resolution  was  adopted  calling 
upon  all  who  were  alive  to  the  dangers  to  "put  forth  all  their 
moral  energies,  in  spite  of  popular  sentiment  and  the  opposi- 
tion of  formalists,  for  the  salvation  of  the  church." 

The  circular  letter  rejoices  over  a  number  of  extensive 
revivals,  but  mourns  over  the  unhallowed  influence  of  Sabbath 
desecration,  even  by  some  who  censure  severely  the  first-day 
observer. 

1837- 

Berlin,  N.  Y. — Thirty-five  churches  w-ere  reported  from 
the  three  Associations ;  but  as  four  of  the  Eastern  churches 
had  not  joined  the  Association,  it  was  voted  that  such 
churches  shall  have  direct  representation  in  Conference.  Also 
that  the  Conference,  at  every  session,  shall  appoint  the  time 
(whether  in  one,  two,  or  more  years)  and  place  of  its  n^xt 
session. 

Elder  Joel  Greene  was  appointed  to  visit  and  labor  among 
the  Seventh-day  Baptist  churches  and  also  the  Jews  of  Lon- 
don; and  the  churches  of  the  Conference  were  asked  to  raise 
the  necessary  funds  by  collections ;  but  there  is  no  record  of 
such  visit  and  work. 

The  monthly  missionary  concert  for  prayer  and  offerings  ; 
The  Protestant  Sentinel  or  a  similar  publication ;  and  the  De 
Ruyter  Institute,  received  cordial  indorsement. 

The  Conference  pronounced  against  giving  letters  to 
members  of  churches  who  wished  to  join  another  denomina- 
tion. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  that  in 
some  parts  there  had  been  revivals  and  a  greater  interest  in 
benevolent  operations ;  in  other  parts  the  cause  of  religion  was 
unusually  low — due  in  large  measure,  it  was  believed,  to  a 
neglect  of  the  Scriptures.  And  Conference  recommended  in- 
creased attention  to  the  private  and  social  study  of  the  Bible ; 
the  erection  of  family  altars ;  the  lending  of  prayers  and  co- 
operation to  the  Missionary,  Tract,  and  Educational  Societies ; 
and  faithful  attendance  upon  the  appointments  of  the  church. 


GENERAL  COXFEREXCE,  l802  TO  I9O2.  183 

The  circular  letter  set  forth  the  Scriptural  and  historical 
obligation  to  observe  religiously  the  holy  Sabbath  of  the  Lord, 
as  one  Divinely  ordained  barrier  against  the  incoming  of  sin„ 
error,  discord  and  division. 

1838. 

PISCATA\^•AY,  N.  J. — The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Ed- 
ucation set  forth  the  privilege  and  duty  of  becoming  educat- 
ed ;  the  growing  interest  among  our  young  people,  but  the 
apathy  of  parents ;  the  superior  advantages  of  DeRuyter  In- 
stitute and  the  obligation  to  support  it;  the  importance  of  lo- 
cal educational  societies,  Sabbath  schools  and  Bible  classes; 
the  value  of  the  new  Question  Book ;  the  boasted  purpose  of 
Romanism  "to  seize  on  the  country  by  taking  possession  of 
the  rising  generation ;"  and  the  great  importance  of  our  being 
furnished  with  Sabbath-keeping  teachers. 

Lucius  Crandall  was  appointed  to  write  a  series  of  articles 
for  The  Sentinel  on  the  subject  of  education. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  recommended  tliat 
young  Christians  especially  be  urged  to  take  their  place  not 
only  in  meetings  for  social  worship,  but  in  business  meetings 
also. 

An  amended  constitution  was  approved  for  submission 
to  the  churches  and  Associations,  which  provided  for  the  rep- 
resentation of  churches  either  directly  or  as  Associations;  for 
annual  meetings ;  and  against  the  creation  of  expense  for  the 
churches  beyond  what  was  incidental  and  necessary. 

The  accompanying  address  emphasized  clearly  the  import- 
ance of  annual  Conferences  to  denominational  unity  and  the 
work  of  the  societies. 

The  subject  of  the  circular  letter  was  order — order  in  the 
individual  and  associated  lives  of  Christians  and  churches. 

1839. 

Brookfield,  N.  Y. — At  this  Conference  it  was  voted,  as. 
a  compromise,  that  each  Conference  shall  determine  whether 
the  next  meeting  shall  be  in  one  or  more  years. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  that  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  revivals  the  religious  condition  was  low, 
and  denominational  enterprises  ill  supported ;  and  the  circu- 


184  SEVENTII-DAV   BAPTISTS: 

lar  letter  exhorts  the  people  to  cherish  higher  and  yet  higher 
regard  for  the  institutions  and  spirit  of  the  gospel. 

1840. 

HoPKiNTON,  R.  I.^ — It  was  resolved  that  Sabbath  schools, 
local  missionary  societies,  Bible  classes,  and  the  monthly  mis- 
sionary concert  for  prayer,  be  considered  as  institutions  of  the 
church  and  recorded  as  such ;  and  that  the  title  "Rev."  be 
omitted  before  the  names  of  ministers. 

The  committee  that  published  the  Question  Books  found 
it  difficult  to  dispose  of  them  and  pay  the  bills. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  that  while 
the  mighty  energies  of  the  Holy  Ghost  had  been  manifested  in 
some  places,  apathy  and  backsliding  were  widespread,  and  the 
Redeemer's  cause  was  languishing ;  and  the  circular  letter  ex- 
horted to  humility,  prayer,  and  the  cultivation  and  exercise  of 
the  fraternal  spirit  of  the  gospel. 

1841. 

Alfred^  N.  Y. — At  this  Conference  there  was  protracted 
debate  upon  the  question  whether  individual  churches,  now 
that  they  are  members  of  Associations,  could  communicate  di- 
rectly with  Conference;  and  the  messengers  seem  to  have  been 
divided  about  evenly. 

A  difficulty  in  the  DeRuyter  church  was  referred  to  the 
Central  Association,  which  body  was  asked  to  accept  the  as- 
sistance of  a  committee  from  Conference. 

Brethren  who  should  know  of  other  church  members 
journeying  or  otherwise  violating  the  Sabbath,  and  persisting 
m  it  against  remonstrance,  were  requested  to  report  them  to 
their  respective  churches  without  delay. 

The  question  whether  one  should  be  ordained  to  the  min- 
istry, or,  if  ordained,  held  in  fellowship,  who  disavows  the 
practice  of  laying  on  of  hands  at  the  reception  of  members ; 
and  whether  persons  admitted  to  church  membership  without 
this  ceremon}'  are  really  members,  was  referred  to  the 
churches. 

Again  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  report  that 
although  some  churches  have  been  awakened  and  revived,  the 
denomination,  as  a  general  thing,  is  very  deficient  in  fervid 
and  active  piety. 


A  GROUP  OF  REPRESENTATIVE   PASTORS. 
Rev.  Lucius    R.    Swiiine)'.  Rev.  Scth   I.  Lee. 

Rev.  Azariah  A.  F.  Randolph.  Rev.  I'rccicrick   F.  Johnson. 


See   Biographical  Sketches,    p.   1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I9O2.  185 

1842, 

Berlin,  X.  Y. — It  was  voted  to  hold  a  one-hour  prayer- 
meeting  each  morning^. 

The  churches  not  having  generally  taken  action  upon  the 
subject  of  laying  on  of  hands,  the  whole  matter  was  dis- 
missed. 

It  was  recommended  to  the  ministers  that  they  deliver 
two  or  three  temperance  lectures  to  their  congregations,  in  the 
course  of  the  year. 

There  was  decided  pronouncement  against  allowing 
minors,  domestics,  or  others  under  one's  control,  to  labor  on 
the  Sabbath ;  against  receiving  into  membership  one  known  to 
be  a  subject  of  censure  by  another  church;  and  against  busi- 
ness co-partnerships  with  non-Sabbath-keepers ;  and  Eldcr 
Thomas  B.  Brown  was  chosen  to  deliver  a  discourse  on  the 
subject  of  the  Sabbath,  on  Sixth-day  evening. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  "that  in 
their  opinion  the  spirit  of  religion  and  personal  holiness  is  on 
the  advance,  although  far  below  the  standard  required  by  the 
Bible ;  and  they  would  respectfully  recommend  that  our  benevo- 
lent institutions  be  still  prosecuted  with  vigor  and  persever- 
ance." 

It  was  at  this  Conference  that  resolutions,  a  report,  and  a 
constitution  were  prepared,  presented  and  approved,  under  the 
leadership  of  that  master  mind,  Thomas  B.  Brown — who,  also, 
was  to  send  out  an  address  to  the  churches — that  led  to  the  or- 
ganization of  our  Missionary  Society,  and  made  a  way  for  the 
other  societies  to  follow. 

1843- 

Plainfield,  N.  J.— At  this  Conference  it  was  voted : 

To  send  an  address  to  our  brethren  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination, urging  them  to  examine  the  subject  of  the  Sab- 
bath as  one  of  great  importance  to  the  cause  of  God ; 

To  recommend  that  the  first  day  of  November  next  be 
observed  by  our  churches  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  that 
Almighty  God  would  arise  and  plead  for  his  holy  Sabbath  : 

That  as  a  rule  churches  ought  not  to  be  organized  with- 
out the  aid  of  ordained  ministers ;  but  when  this  cannot  be 


l86  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

bad,  brethren  may  organize  into  a  church  and  arrange  for 
the  administration  of  gospel  ordinances ; 

To  instruct  the  Corresponding  Secretary  to  continue 
friendly  correspondence  with  the  pastors  of  our  sister  churches 
in  London ; 

That,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  the  Sabbath  begins  on 
what  is  commonly  called  Friday  evening ; 

That  the  location  of  the  Newport  church  makes  its  con- 
tinuance of  the  greatest  importance  to  our  denominational 
prosperity ; 

That  the  days  of  the  week,  excepting  the  Sabbath,  ought 
to  be  called  by  numeral  titles ;  and 

That  the  condition  of  over  2.000,000  of  people  held  in 
bondage  demands  our  sympathies  and  prayers ;  that  we  dis- 
claim any  religious  connection  with  the  institution  of  slavery ; 
and  exhort  any  members  of  this  Conference  who  are  concern- 
ed in  the  practice  to  abandon  it  immediately. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported,  this  year, 
an  encouraging  increase  of  interest  in  the  Redeemer's  cause, 
and  in  the  work  of  disseminating  long  neglected  Sabbath  truth. 

1844. 

^^ER0NA,  N.  Y. — Seventy-six  messengers  were  in  attend- 
ance.    This  Conference  voted: 

To  prepare  an  address  to  all  First-day  Evangelical  denom- 
inations in  America,  and  to  refer  its  publication  to  the  Tract 
Society ; 

To  appoint  a  business  committee  for  next  Conference  ; 

To  commend  the  highly  deserving  Sabbafli  Recorder; 

To  grant  the  recjuest  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church,  London, 
to  be  considered,  for  purposes  of  friendly  correspondence,  a 
member  of  Conference,  while  lamenting  the  important  doctri- 
nal differences  between  them  and  us ; 

To  recommend,  in  view  of  the  Divine  blessing  since  last 
Conference,  that  the  first  day  of  January  next  be  observed  as  a 
day  of  fasting  and  thanksgiving,  and  of  prayer  that  God 
would  continue  to  plead  for  His  Sabbath  and  prepare  us  for 
the  labor  thus  devolved  upon  us ;  and, 

In  view  of  the  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  hearing  in  other 
conventions,  to  appoint  a  committee  of  twelve,  with  authority, 


GENERAL  COXFERENCE,  l8o2  If)  \()02.  iS/ 

to  arrange  for  Sabljath  conventions  at  various  places,  during' 
the  year. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  revivals ; 
converts  to  the  Sabbath,  including  several  ministers ;  young 
men  preparing  for  the  ministry ;  and  a  general  steadfastness 
in  the  gospel ;  but  exhorted  the  churches  to  realize  the  needs 
of  a  perishing  world ;  to  practice  peace  and  love  where  dis- 
cord prevails ;  and  to  give  for  the  cause  of  Christ  with  far 
greater  liberality. 

1845. 

Alfred,  N.  Y.^There  were  in  attendance  38  messengers. 

It  was  voted : 

To  request  the  churches  and  Associations  to  express  their 
opinions  as  to  the  continuance  of  the  Conference ; 

To  indorse  the  plan  of  the  Missionary  Board  to  enter  the 
foreign  field,  and  to  open  a  subscription  for  the  mission  at  once ; 

To  petition  the  New  York  Legislature  to  place  Sabbath- 
keepers  on  an  equality  with  First-day  people,  with  reference 
to  the  action  of  the  law  in  civil  matters  on  the  Sabbath ;  and 

To  co-operate  with  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety. 

But  few  revival  seasons  and  a  time  of  dearth,  yet  a  good 
degree  of  unity  and  interest  in  the  gospel  were  reported  to  be 
the  state  of  religion. 

1846. 

Shiloh,  N.  J. —  From  10  churches  there  were  38  dele- 
gates, and  from  the  Western  Association  one ;  and  five  visit- 
ing brethren  accepted  seats  in  the  Conference. 

The  following  order  of  business  was  adopted :  Prayer- 
meeting,  9  o'clock  to  10;  business,  10  o'clock  to  half  past  3, 
with  an  intermission  of  one-half  hour ;  preaching  every  even- 
ing not  otherwise  occupied  by  the  Conference. 

A  letter  was  received  from  the  German  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists, of  Ephrata,  Pa.,  relating  to  the  subject  of  Sunday  legisla- 
tion. 

It  was  voted : 

To  hold  the  Conference  once  in  three  years,  as  an  advis- 
ory council,  and  a  medium  for  collecting  statistics ; 


I05  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

To  co-operate  with  brethren  of  the  Eastern  Association  in 
the  pubHcation  of  a  denominational  hymn  book; 

That  legislation  designed  to  enforce  the  observance  of 
any  day  as  Sabbath  is  unconstitutional  and  opposed  to  religious 
freedom ; 

To  address  the  people  of  the  United  States,  and  the  State 
Legislatures,  with  reference  to  Sunday  laws ; 

That  the  expense  of  efforts  and  prosecutions  pertaining 
to  Sunday  laws  in  any  State  should  be  met  by  the  churches 
of  that  State ;  but  should  a  suit  be  carried  to  the  United  States 
Supreme  Court,  that  ought  to  be  treated  as  a  denominational 
measure;  and 

That  the  minutes  of  past  conferences  be  recorded  in  a 
book  worthy  of  their  importance. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  that  let- 
ters had  been  received  from  a  small  part  of  the  churches  only ; 
but  that  these,  while  mourning  over  the  want  of  greater  spirit- 
uality, manifest  a  real  interest  in  denominational  matters. 

1849. 

HoPKiNTOisr,  R.  I. — A  letter  was  received  from  the  Ger- 
man Seventh-day  Baptists  of  Ephrata,  Pa.,  expressing  their 
desire  to  co-operate  with  us  in  Christian  effort;  and  Dr.  Wil- 
liam ]\I.  Fahnestock  was  welcomed  as  their  delegate. 

There  was  also  a  letter  from  the  Mill  Yard  Church,  Lon- 
don, giving  an  account  of  its  condition  and  prospects. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  reported  a  gift  to  Confer- 
ence, by  Elder  William  H.  Black,  of  London,  of  all  the  pub- 
lications of  the  Hanserd  Knollys  Society. 

The  Business  Committee  presented  a  series  of  resolu- 
tions relating  to : 

The  designating  of  days  numerically; 

The  beginning  of  the  Sabbath  at  sunset  on  Sixth-day ; 

The  better  observance  of  the  Sabbath ; 

The  high-handed  sin  of  slavery ; 

The  evils  of  secret  societies ; 

The  recognition  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Publishing 
Society ; 

The  morally  bad  influence  of  circus  and  similar  exhibi- 
tions ; 


A  GROUP  OF  SEVKXTH  DAY  BAPTIST  LAV  WORKERS. 
Edwin   S.   Bliss.  William  Clarke  Burdick. 

Isaac   D.   Titsworth.  I^^vid    Rose    StiUmaii. 

See  Biogiiif^hical    Sketches,    p-   1361. 


GENERAL    CONFERENCE,     l802    TO     HJ02.  1 89 

The  importance  of  having  church  mcmhership  where  one 
lives ;  and 

The  need  of  a  denominational  college  and  theological  sem- 
inary. 

A  "respectable  minority"  voted  against  recommending 
the  disciplining  of  members  of  secret  societies ;  and,  for  the 
sake  of  harmony  and  expressing  the  feelings  of  the  body  at 
large,  dissuasion  by  all  possible  Christian  motives  was  recom- 
mended instead. 

The  Associations  were  asked  to  co-operate  with  the  Con- 
ference in  determining  the  best  location  for  a  college  and  sem- 
mary ;  in  the  interests  of  this  movement,  an  Educational  Com- 
mittee was  appointed  which  should  hold  annual  sessions ;  and 
the  importance  of  higher  education  for  the  ministry  was  em- 
phasized. 

By  request  of  the  President  of  the  Baptist  Free  Mission 
Society  a  delegate  was  appointed  to  attend  the  next  meeting 
of  that  body. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  that,  not 
in  respect  to  numbers  but  as  a  whole,  the  prospect  was  cheer- 
ing; interest  in  missions  was  encouraging;  there  were  indica- 
tions of  denominational  reform  in  Sabbath-keeping ;  and  the 
people  might  well  offer  both  thanksgiving  and  sup])lication. 

1852. 

Pl.mnfield,  X.  J. — Twenty-one  churches  and  the  Cen- 
tral Association  were  re])resented  by  97  delegates. 

Resolutions  were  adopted,  some  of  them  after  "long  and 
warm  discussion,"  relating  to: 

The  collection  of  Conference  documents  for  the  use  of 
the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Publishing  Society  ; 

The  importance  of  membership  in  some  Associatit^i.  to 
all  churches ; 

The  duty  of  strict  Sabbath  observance  and  of  aggressive 
Sabbath  reform  work; 

The  legal  prohibition  of  the  liquor  traffic: 

The  inhuman  "Fugitive  Slave  Law  ;" 

The  good  work  of  the  Seventh-day  I'.aptist  Missionary 
Society ; 

The  need  of  a  new  English  version  of  the  Bible ; 


190  SEVENTH-DAY  DAPTISTS  : 

The  importance  of  a  Year  Book ; 

The  value  of  more  complete  statistics ;  and  to 

The  denominational  expose  as  being  of  no  binding  force 
as  such,  but  an  exhibition  of  views  generally  held. 

The  amended  expose  declared  the  decalogue  to  be  bind- 
ing upon  all  mankind,  not  merely  upon  the  church ;  but  no 
longer  set  forth  the  practice  of  laying  on  of  hands  as  being 
apostolic. 

1855- 

Leoxardsville,  N.  Y. — Eighteen  churches  and  the  Cen- 
tral Association  were  represented  by  76  delegates. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

Essays  on  The  Lord's  supper,  and  on  The  application  of 
discipline  to  churches,  in  their  inter-church.  Association,  and 
Conference  relations;  , 

Secret  societies,  as  adverse  in  principle  and  practice  to 
Christianity ; 

The  case  of  Pardon  Davis,  imprisoned  in  Louisiana,  on 
the  charge  of  aiding  slaves  to  escape ; 

The  organization  of  an  Educational  Society;  and  to 

Prayer  for  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves  in  our  beloved 
country. 

An  effort  Avas  being  made  to  raise  an  educational  fund  of 
$100,000;  and  of  769  votes,  by  19  churches,  on  the  question 
of  a  location  for  the  college  and  seminary,  Alfred  received  690 ; 
snd  of  the  remaining  79,  Plainfield  received  51. 

It  was  reported  that  Brother  John  Maxson  had  sacrificed 
about  $95.00  for  the  publication  of  The  Protestant  Sentinel; 
and  it  was  recommended  that  friends  subscribe  for  his  relief. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  that,  in 
their  opinion,  while  the  denomination  had  advanced  greatly  in 
wealth  and  knowledge,  it  had  not  made  equal  advancement 
in  piety,  love  to  God,  and  Christian  fellowship;  and  urged  the 
importance  of  more  attention  to  family  religion. 

A  fraternal  and  able  letter  from  Mill  Yard,  London,  was 
read,  relating  to  that  church ;  the  need  of  a  revised  translation 
of  the  Bible,  a  subject  to  be  brought  before  Parliament;  to 
dread  war  in  Europe;  and  to  American  slavery,  and  closed 
v/ith  these  words : 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.  IQI 

"Our  elder  and  his  family  hold  not  infrequent  communi- 
cations with  your  devoted  brethren  in  China  and  Palestine ;  we 
rejoice  to  hear  of  their  welfare,  and  offer  our  prayers  every 
Sabbath  for  them  and  for  you." 

1858. 

Alfred^  N.  Y. — Twenty-four  churches  sent  85  delegates. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

The  promotion  of  the  godliness  and  purity  of  the  churches 
as  the  first  and  great  care  of  Conference ; 

The  open  doors  for  the  gospel,  especially  in  China ; 

The  morally  destructive  license  system; 

The  late  disgraceful  attempt  of  our  general  government 
to  force  slavery  upon  Kansas ; 

The  American  Tract  Society,  as  having  forfeited  its  right 
to  our  support,  because  it  republished  several  books  in  a  muti- 
lated form,  and  refused  to  publish  anything  against  slavery ; 

The  wrong  in  receiving,  by  one  church,  an  excommuni- 
cated member  of  a  sister  church ;  and  to 

War  for  the  settlement  of  national  difficulties  as  unchris- 
tian. 

A  motion  to  hold  the  Conference  annually ;  and  one,  that, 
upon  adjournment,  it  adjourn  si)ie  dic^  were  both  lost. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  an  appar- 
ently growing  regard  for  prayer-meetings,  Sabbath  schools, 
and  other  local  interests ;  but  a  lack  of  outgoing  benevolence. 

1861. 

New  Market,  N.  J. — There  were  45  delegates  from  14 
churches. 

In  view  of  die  expressed  desire  of  the  Warren  Baptist 
Association  of  Rhode  Island,  for  a  closer  union  among  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  family,  a  delegation  was  appointed  to  at- 
tend the  next  meeting  of  that  body. 

It  was  voted  that  religious  interests  and  the  denomination's 
welfare,  demand  an  annual  meeting  of  the  Conference. 

Eight  resolutions  were  discussed  and  adopted  that  set  forth 
slavery  as  the  cause,  and  its  overthrow  as  the  desired  result  of 
the  Civil  War;  and  pledged  to  the  Union  loyal  support,  "what- 
ever it  mav  cost." 


192  SEVENTH-DAY   llAPTISTS  : 

1862. 

Little  Genesee,  N.  Y. — Resolutions  were  adopted  relat- 
ing to : 

The  importance  of  keeping  religious  interests  in  view, 
when  choosing  new  homes ; 

The  endangering  of  Sabbath-keeping  by  business  ar- 
rangements ; 

The  encouragement  of  young  men  to  enter  the  widening 
harvest  fields  awaiting  the  gospel  ministry ; 

The  special  danger  from  intemperance  in  time  of  war; 
the  duty  of  watchfulness  on  every  hand ;  and  the  obligation  to 
pray  to  the  God  of  nations  for  our  civil  and  military  rulers ; 
and  to 

The  Sabbath  school  as  a  pillar  of  the  church. 

A  Memorial  upon  Emancipation  was  prepared  and  order- 
ed sent  to  the  President  in  the  name  of  the  Conference ;  and 
there  was  a  special  season  of  prayer  for  our  country's  salva- 
tion. 

General  harmony  prevailed  among  the  churches,  and  sev- 
eral had  been  cheered  by  additions.  After  prolonged  discus- 
sion it  w^as  voted  to  hold  the  next  Conference  in  1863,  and  to 
refer  the  question  of  meeting  annually  or  triennially  to  the 
churches. 

1863. 

Adams,  N.  Y. — Two  essays  were  presented,  one  by  Jona- 
than Allen  on.  'The  Church,  Its  Nature  and  Mission ;"  and 
one  prepared  by  William  B.  Maxson,  on  'The'  utility  of  con- 
tinuing an  Annual  Conference,  and  the  relations  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  to  our  denominational  societies." 

Resolutions  w^ere  adopted  relating  to : 

The  dormant  power  of  the  church  for  evangelism ; 

The  need  of  more  public  teaching  in  regard  to  the  time 
and  manner  of  Sabbath  observance  ; 

The  evils  of  incroaching  materialism. 

The  writing  of  tracts  on  materialism,  the  communion  and 
the  obligations  of  our  youth ; 

The  annual  meeting  of  Conference,  in  view  of  the  action 
of  the  churches ; 
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GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.  I93 

The  gathering  of  statistics  pertaining  to  those  who  em- 
brace or  leave  the  Sabbath ;  and  who  keep  the  Sabbath,  but 
are  not  church  members  ; 

The  appointment  of  a  Historical  Board ;  and  to 

The  support  of  the  government  against  "the  slave-hold- 
ers' rebellion" — the  last  being  adopted  by  a  rising  vote. 

A  motion  to  recommend  that  the  Missionary  Board  em- 
ploy one  or  more  evangelists  to  labor  among  our  own  churches 
was  lost. 

Most  of  the  churches  had  regular  preaching;  several  had 
enjoyed  precious  showers  of  grace ;  and  prayer-meetings  and 
Sabbath  schools  were  maintained;  but  there  was  need  of 
watchful  activity. 

1864. 

Milton,  ^\'I^. — Essays  were  presented  by  James  Bailey, 
on  The  History  of  Conference ;  John  Maxson,  on  Feet- wash- 
ing ;  D.  E.  Maxson,  on  Materialism ;  Jonathan  Allen,  on  Spirit- 
ualism ;  and  L.  C.  Rogers,  on  The  Resurrection. 

The  paper  by  Elder  Bailey  finally  appeared  in  valuable 
book  form. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

Our  widely  scattered  condition,  and  the  necessity  of  cul- 
tivating unity  in  spirit  and  action ; 

Our  institutions  of  higher  learning,  Sabbath  schools  and 
kindred  movements ; 

Our  special  duty  to  defend  and  propagate  the  Bible  doc- 
trine of  the  Sabbath ; 

The  reinforcement  of  our  foreign  missions,  and  the  well- 
deserving  w'ork  of  the  Missionary  Society ; 

The  protracted  struggle  for  the  Union,  liberty  and  good 
government,  in  connection  with  which  there  was  a  special 
prayer  of  thanksgiving  and  confession ; 

Better  Sabbath  teaching  and  practice,  that  we  may  pre- 
sent the  truth  to  others  with  more  confidence ;  and  to 

The  proposed  endowment  of  a  professorship  in  the  theo- 
logical department  of  Alfred  University. 

The  churches,  for  the  most  part,  were  in  unity,  and  in  the 
steadfast  enjoyment  of  the  ordinary  means  of  grace;  although 
greatlv  absorbed  in  national  affairs. 


194  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

1865. 

AsHAWAY  (Hopkinton),  R.  I. — Thirty  churches  were 
represented  by  loi  delegates. 

It  had  been  learned,  by  correspondence,  that  there  were 
once  six  Seventh-day  Baptist  churches  in  Ohio,  west  of  the 
Scioto  river;  but,  that,  principally  owing  to  emigration,  there 
were  left  only  scattered  groups  of  Sabbath-keepers,  and  the 
Jackson  Center  church  of  74  members,  with  a  Sabbath  school 
of  91.  Also,  that  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska  there  were  four 
churches  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  about  80. 

Essays  were  read  by  Nathan  Wardner  on  the  question  of 
baptizing  one  who  will  not  join  the  church ;  by  J.  M.  Todd  on 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  elevating  the  church  and  saving 
sinners ;  and  by  A.  H.  Lewis  on  the  future  of  the  Sabbath 
cause  in  this  country. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

Gratitude  for  the  overthrow  of  the  rebellion,  and  its  great 
cause — slavery ; 

The  right  of  suffrage  without  regard  to  color; 

The  alarming  increase  of  intemperance ; 

The  importance,  to  our  future,  of  the  new  western  coun- 
try; 

Consecration  to  the  development  and  propagation  of  our 
faith ; 

Spiritual  declension,  incident  to  war ; 

The  duty  of  aiding  feeble  churches  to  build  meeting 
houses ; 

The  publication  of  a  Denominational  Quarterly ;  and  to 

The  wrong  of  habitually  neglecting  the  communion  ser- 
vice. 

To  an  encouraging  degree  the  churches  reported  them- 
selves as  interested  in  local  work,  education,  and  benevolent 
enterprises. 

1866. 

Alfred,  N.  Y. — One  hundred  and  fifty-five  delegates  from 
35  churches. 

Essays  were  read  by  D.  E.  Maxson,  on  the  Sabbatic  law ; 
Stephen  Burdick,  on  the  cultivating  power  of  the  church ;  T.  B. 


A   GROUP   OF   Rl'.l'Ri:Si:\TATIVE   PASTORS. 


Rev.  Joel   (jrccne. 

Rev.    Henry    P.    Cireeiie. 

See    HiograpI\ical   Skefchcs.   p.    1361 


Rev.    (ieorge    H.    Kagarise. 
Rev.  Stillnian  Coon. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I9O2.  I95 

Brown,  on  regeneration ;  and  A.  B.  Burdick,  on  the  duty  of 
identifying  oneself  with  the  church  where  one  resides. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

The  morally  wrong  and  unpatriotic  reconstruction  methods 
of  the  nation's  chief  executive  and  the  so-called  "Union"  party ; 

Our  institutions  of  learning,  their  good  w'ork  and  their 
need  of  endowment ; 

Intemperance  as  the  foe  of  society  and  religion ; 

Sabbath-breaking    business    engagements ; 

Our  duty  to  aid  the  Freedmen,  especially  in  the  way  of 
teaching ; 

The  equal  rights  of  all  church  members  in  the  church's 
business ;  and  to 

The  appointment  of  a  Sabbath  School  Committee. 

A  resolution  against  any  essential  change  in  the  consti- 
tutional character  and  the  work  of  Conference;  and  one  in 
favor  of  opening  the  Sabbath  service  with  an  invocation,  were 
laid  on  the  table. 

The  Historical  Board  reported  the  collection  of  many 
valuable  documents  for  safe-keeping  at  Alfred  University, 
among  them,  Cranmer's  New  Testament  of  1549;  and  urged 
the  continuance  of  efforts  to  obtain  and  preserve  all  matters  of 
historic  interest  and  value. 

The  majority  report  of  a  committee  condemning  all  secret 
organizations ;  and  a  minority  report,  that  churches  ought  not 
to  make  war  upon  secret  orders  whose  objects  are  good,  were 
both  tabled. 

Many  revivals,  and  general  religious  activity  among  the 
churches,  gave  reason  to  rejoice  and  take  courage. 

1867. 

Leon.\rdsville,  N.  Y. — Thirty-two  churches  sent  145 
delegates.  Essays  were  read  by  George  E.  Tomlinson,  on 
"Dignity  and  Purity  of  Style  in  the  Pulpit;"  and  by  Jonathan 
Allen,  on  "Secret  Societies." 

A  resolution  declaring  secret  societies  to  be  adverse  to 
Christianity  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  42  to  24 ;  and  one  advis- 
ing churches  to  discipline  members  who  would  not  witlidraw 
from  them  was  laid  on  the  table. 


196  SEVENTII-DAV  BAPTISTS: 

The  Historical  Board  reported  progress,  and  emphasized 
the  importance  of  denominational  history  and  biography. 

It  was  agreed  at  this  Conference  that  a  lay  member  could 
not  be  dismissed,  regularly,  to  join  a  First-day  church,  even  if 
continuing  to  observe  the  Sabbath ;  that  a  minister  could  not  be 
dismissed,  regularly,  to  become  the  Sabbath-keeping  pastor  of 
a  First-day  church ;  that  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  minister  ought 
not  to  accept  a  pastorate  in  another  denomination ;  and  that 
members  can  be  dismissed,  consistently,  only  by  letters  com- 
mending them  to  sister  churches. 

Upon  the  recommendation  of  the  Sabbath  School  Com- 
mittee, this  Conference  appointed  a  Sabbath  School  Executive 
Board. 

A  resolution  recommending  the  transacting  of  "all  of  our 
work  as  educators  and  reformers  through  one  organization  of 
the  nature  of  the  General  Conference,"  was  referred  to  a  spe- 
cial committee  of  five,  to  report  at  next  Conference. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to: 

Increased  interest  in  Sabbath  schools ; 

Our  institutions  of  learning,  their  prosperity,  and  the 
cause  of  education ; 

The  spirit  of  benevolence,  and  the  appointment  of  a  com- 
mittee to  devise  a  system  of  giving ; 

The  importance  of  existing  political  issues  ; 

The  appointment  of  a  committee  to  consider  and  report 
concerning  a  denominational  hymn  and  tune  book;  and  to 

Petitions  to  Legislatures,  for  the  repeal  of  "Sunday  laws." 

Grateful  tribute  was  paid  to  the  life  and  labors  of  Presi- 
dent William  C.  Kenyon,  who  died  in  London,  June  7,  1867. 

With  reference  to  a  communication  from  the  Eastern  As- 
sociation, concerning  a  denominational  ecclesiastical  council, 
it  was  voted  that  the  matter  is  "not  at  present  in  form  for  con- 
sideration and  action." 

The  year  was  felt  to  have  been  one  of  substantial  religious 
prosperity,  and  the  outlook  hopeful. 

1868. 

Albion,  Wis. — Thirty-four  churches,  represented  by  157 
delegates. 

Acting  upon  a  communication  from  the  Northwestern  Sab- 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I9O2.  I97 

bath  School  Association,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  recom- 
mend, through  The  Recorder,  from  time  to  time,  books  suitable 
for  our  Sabbath  school  libraries ;  and  George  B.  Utter,  Thomas 
R.  Williams  and  L.  R.  Swinney  were  requested  to  edit  and  pub- 
lish a  Sabbath  school  paper  adapted  to  the  wants  of  our  chil- 
dren. 

After  receiving  a  majority  and  minority  report  from  the 
Committee  on  Hymn  and  Tune  Book,  the  committee  was  re- 
quested to  publish  a  selection  of  tunes  adapted  to  our  present 
hymn  book  if  found  desirable,  and  it  could  be  done  without 
involving  Conference  in  expense. 

The  committee  on  the  reorganization  of  the  Conference 
presented  their  report  in  the  form  of  a  constitution,  which  gave 
Conference  the  prerogative  of  an  advisory  council  in  matters 
of  faith  and  practice  between  churches  and  their  members,  and 
the  right  to  exclude  churches  for  lack  of  harmony  with  the 
denomination ;  and  the  power  to  promote  missionary.  Sabbath, 
education  and  other  denominational  interests ;  and  constituted 
the  Missionary,  Tract,  and  Education  Boards,  boards  of  the 
Conference,  provided  their  societies  would  predicate  member- 
ship in  them,  on  church  membership,  and  make  their  annual 
reports  to  Conference. 

The  constitution  was  approved,  evidently,  though  not 
clearly  so  stated,  for  submission  to  the  churches  and  societies. 

An  essay  on  Sanctification  was  read  by  Nathan  Wardner. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to: 

Greater  care  for  non-resident  church  members ;  and  to 

The  duty  of  illustrating  Sabbath  truth  by  better  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath. 

Through  a  committee.  Conference  recommended  that  fel- 
lowship be  withheld  from  all  who  preach  or  practice  open  com- 
munion, and  through  another,  pronounced  feet-washing  not 
to  be  a  church  ordinance,  though  not  improper  as  a  rite  of  hos- 
pitality. 

The  Historical  Board  stated  that  Rev.  W.  B.  Gillette  had 
presented  more  books  and  documents  than  all  the  rest  of  the 
denomination. 

A  "Roll  of  Honor,"  of  soldiers,  was  referred  to  tlie  1  lis- 
torical  Board  for  preservation  and  additions. 


198  SEVENTir-DAV  BAPTISTS  : 

A  resolution  against  having  First-day  ministers  occupy 
cur  pulpits  was  laid  on  the  table. 

Reported  conversions,  and  increase  of  interest  in  Sabbath 
schools,  missions.  Sabbath  reform,  and  other  lines  of  work, 
were  encouraging:  but  churches  and  other  fields  were  sufifer- 
ing  because  without  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

1869. 

Shiloii,  N.  J. — One  hundred  and  twenty  delegates  from 
yj  churches. 

Of  the  55  churches  represented  by  delegate  or  letter,  29 
voted  in  favor  of  the  new  constitution,  and  18  against;  but  as 
there  was  not  a  two-thirds  approving  vote,  the  constitution  was 
declared  not  adopted. 

In  order,  apparently,  that  the  churches  might  have  oppor- 
tunity to  better  understand  the  movement,  they  were  asked  to 
vote  on  the  constitution  again,  next  year. 

It  had  not  been  found  practicable  to  start  the  proposed 
Sabbath  school  paper. 

Essays  were  read  by  A.  B.  Prentice,  on  what  constitutes 
a  call  to  the  ministry ;  and  by  L.  C.  Rogers,  on  the  time  of 
Christ's  resurrection. 

A  resolution  declaring  the  open  communion  view  and 
practice  not  to  be  a  bar  to  denominational  fellowship,  was 
amended  and  referred  to  a  special  committee,  to  report  next 
year. 

The  Committee  on  Sabbath  School  Literature  reported 
progress  in  their  work  of  aiding  Sabbath  schools  in  the  selec- 
tion of  books. 

Communications  concerning  the  deacon's  office  and  rela- 
tions, and  the  receiving  of  ex-communicated  members,  were 
carefully  answered  through  special  committees. 

Conference  adopted  a  fraternal  reply  to  a  communication 
from  the  Seventh-day  Adventists,  and  appointed  Jonathan  Al- 
len a  delegate  to  the  next  meeting  of  that  body. 

The  Hymn  and  Tune  Book  Committee  reported  in  favor 
of  an  adapted  edition  of  some  extant  work;  and  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  continue   the   investigation. 

A  resolution  inviting  young  men  and  women  to  consider 


A  GROUP  OF  ri-:prksi-:ntativr  denomtxatioxai.  lay  worki-rs. 

Amos   B.    Spaulding.  Clarke  Rogers. 

Abram   D.   Titsworth.  David   Dunn. 

See  Biographical   Sketches,    p.    1361. 


GENERAL    CONFERENCE,     l8o2    TO     I902.  Ujq 

the  question  of  entering  the  ministry  was  tabled ;  but  resohi- 
tions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

Our  extending  work  as  Sabbath-keepers  and  our  need  of 
consecration ; 

The  growing  and  well-deserving  work  of  the  Tract  So- 
ciety ; 

The  improvement  of  our  Sabbath  schools ;  and  the  sup- 
port merited  by  TJic  Sabbath  School  Gem,  published  by  T.  E. 
N.  Backus  ;  and  to 

The  consideration  of  a  bicentennial  meeting  in  187 1. 

The  year  past  was  believed  to  have  been  one  of  increased 
effort  and  solid  growth. 

1870. 

Little  Genesee,  N.  Y. — From  42  churches  there  were 
175  delegates;  and  Elder  M.  B.  Kelly  was  welcomed  as  rep- 
resenting Sabbath-keeping  interests  in  Southern  Illinois. 

Of  the  57  churches  represented  by  delegate  or  letter,  34 
voted  for  the  proposed  new  constitution,  and  20  against — 38 
being  necessary  to  its  adoption. 

Upon  the  subject  of  comnumion  there  were  prolonged  dis- 
cussions, and  motion  after  motion.  But,  finally,  the  doctrine  of 
restricted  communion  was  reatftrmed. 

Resolutions  were  approved  relating  to : 

The  alarming  increase  of  strength  in  the  rum  power ; 

The  anti-slavery  struggle  and  its  results  to  freedom ; 

The  growing  need  of  education ; 

The  Sabbath  as  memorial  and  type ; 

Co-operation  with  the  Seventh-day  Adventists.  but  with- 
out compromising  distinctive  principles ;  and  to 

The  ajjprMnlmcnt  of  a  committee  to  further  amend  the 
constitution  ;  and  another  to  arrange  for  a  bicentennial  meet- 
ing. 

A  motion  to  send  a  delegate  to  the  Adventist  Conference 
was  tabled. 

In  reply  to  a  communication,  Conference  advised  with- 
drawing fellowship  from  a  member  who  adheres  to  the  Ma- 
sonic order. 

It  had  been  found  that  even  an  adapted  hymn  book  would 


200  SEVENTII-DAV  BAPTISTS: 

be  too  expensive ;  and  the  committee  recommended  for  congre- 
gational singing  a  small  book  called  "Songs  of  Devotion." 

A  preamble  and  resolutions  relating  to  the  organization  of 
a  Sabbath  School  Department  of  the  Conference  were  ordered 
printed  in  The  Recorder  and  Sabbatli  School  Gem. 

Jonathan  Allen,  delegate  to  the  Adventist  Conference,  re- 
ported a  cordial  welcome  and  the  exhibition  of  a  fraternal 
spirit  towards  our  denomination. 

Reports  from  the  several  fields  indicated  both  external 
and  spiritual  growth  during  the  year. 

1871. 

Adams  Center,  N.  Y. — From  38  churches  140  delegates. 

A  Mr.  Prescott  was  received  as  representing  the  Central 
Association  of  Baptists,  and  J.  N.  Andrews  from  the  Advent- 
ists. 

The  subject  of  the  communion  again  coming  up,  it  was 
referred  to  a  committee  whose  duty  it  was  to  procure  a  pub- 
lished discussion  on  both  sides. 

Resolutions  w^ere  approved  relating  to : 

The  bicentennial  anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the 
Newport  church ; 

A  return  to  the  Lord's  Sabbath  as  greatly  to  be  desired 
and  labored  for ; 

An  average  contribution  of  one  dollar  a  member  to  our 
benevolent  funds,  by  weekly  giving; 

Missionary  work  by  pastors  for  from  one  to  three  months; 
and  to 

The  evil  traffic  in  and  use  of  tobacco. 

Free  Masonry  was  again  discussed,  opposition  to  it  was 
reaffirmed. 

This  Conference  adopted  a  program  for  a  bicentennial 
celebration  in  1872. 

The  Board  of  Denominational  History  had  received  from 
1,500  to  2,000  MSS.  documents  from  Mrs.  T.  B.  Stillman — ■ 
Conference  minutes,  church  records,  biographies,  letters,  etc. 

The  year  had  been  one  of  advancing  interest  in  all  depart- 
ments of  Christian  labor;  but  there  was  increasing  need  of  a 
diligent  use  of  all  means  of  growth  in  grace,  for  we  must  not 
be  satisfied  v/ith  present  attainments. 


A   GROUI'  Ol'    Ul.l'KI'-.SlvNTATlVI-:    TASIOKS. 
Rev.  Elston   M.   Dunn.  Rev.  James   Siunmcrbcll. 

Rev.  Joshua  Clarke.  Rev-  Julius   M.  Todd. 

See     Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I902.  20I 

1872. 

Southampton  (West  Hallock),  III. — One  hundred 
and  two  delegates  from  40  churches. 

Uriah  Smith  was  welcomed  as  delegate  from  the  Advent- 
ists. 

The  following  papers  and  essays  were  presented: 

James  Bailey,  on  the  history  of  the  settlement  and  growth 
of  Sabbath-keepers  in  America ; 

N.  V.  Hull,  on  the  history  and  exposition  of  the  general 
doctrines  of  Sabbath-keepers  in  America ; 

A.  H.  Lewis,  on  the  history  and  exposition  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  Sabbath  as  held  by  Sabbath-keepers  in  America ; 

L.  A.  Platts,  on  the  history  of  the  Sabbath  schools  of  the 
denomination ; 

W.  C.  Whitford  (of  Wisconsin),  on  the  history  and 
genius  of  the  educational  interests  of  the  Sabbath-keepers  of 
America ; 

D.  E.  Maxson,  on  the  future  duties  and  prospects  of  the 
Sabbath-keepers  of  America ;  and  another  by 

D.  E.  Maxson,  on  the  atonement. 

The  chairman  of  the  committee  on  the  subject  of  the  com- 
munion, reported  that  the  committee  had  secured  but  little  dis- 
cussion of  the  question  in  The  Recorder. 

Nathan  Wardner,  delegate  to  the  Adventists,  gave  an  ac- 
count of  the  spirit  and  work  of  that  body. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

The  publication  of  the  bicentennial  essays; 

Our  duty  and  privilege  at  this  point  in  our  history ; 

The  propagation  of  the  Sabbath  truth  as  a  fundamental 
doctrine  of  religion ; 

The  organization  of  a  Sabbath  School  Department  of  the 
Conference ; 

The  Theological  Department  in  Alfred   University  ; 

The  importance  of  thorough  literary  and  religious  edu- 
cation ;  and  to 

The  indorsement  of  the  action  of  the  Associations  for 
raising  a  Memorial  Fund  of  $100,000  or  more,  with  special  re- 
gard to  a  centennary  educational  fund  ;  and  the  appointment 
of  a  Board  of  Trustees. 


202  SEVENTH-DAY    I'.AI'TISTS  : 

The  Board  of  the  Education  Society  repcjrted  to  the  Con- 
ference encotiraging  progress  in  the  raising  of  tlie  Memorial 
Fund ;  and  letters  from  the  churches  suggested  thoughts  of 
gratitude,  hope,  courage  and  consecration. 

1873. 

Westerly,  R.  I. — From  39  churches,  174  delegates. 

J.  N.  Andrews  was  cordially  received  as  delegate  from 
the  Seventh-day  Adventists ;  and  an  interesting  letter  from 
Vv'illiam  M.  Jones,  of  London,  was  read. 

Stephen  Burdick,  delegate  to  the  Conference  of  the  Ad- 
\'entists,  reported  concerning  the  work  and  organization  of 
that  people. 

There  were  essays  by: 

A.  B.  Prentice,  on  system  in  raising  funds,  read  by  George 
E.  Tomlinson ; 

H.  ]\  Burdick,  on  tobacco,  read  by  Air.  Tomlinson; 

D.  E.  Maxson,  Nathan  Wardner  and  Lucius  Crandall,  on 
the  communion;  and  one  on  the  same  subject  prepared  by  S. 
S.  Griswold,  two  years  before,  was  requested  for  publication 
with  these  in  The  Recorder ;  and  by  D.  E.  Maxson,  on  secret 
societies. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Conference  Committee 
on  Religious  Exercise  inclvided  in  its  report  the  annual  ser- 
mons of  the  Missionary  and  Tract  Societies. 

Resolutions  were  approved  relating  to : 

Work  for  missions,  out  of  love  to  Christ ; 

The  duty  of  sacrificing  stewardship  in  the  use  of  our  sub- 
stance ; 

The  brightening  prospect  of  education,  and  the  need  of 
endowments ; 

The  disciplming  of  ministers  and  people  who  use  the  Sab- 
bath for  unnecessary  work,  visiting,  or  ordinary  journeying ; 

The  support  of  The  Sabbath  School  Gem; 

The  encouragement  of  young  men  to  prepare  for  the  min- 
istry ; 

The  unchristian  treatment  of  the  Chinese  in  this  country ; 
and  to 

The  a])])()intment  of  a  special  committee  to  report  upon 
denominational   reorganization   at   the   next   annual   meeting — 


GKXERAL  COXFKRKN'CK.    l8o2  TO    l()02.  20^ 

the  committee  to  have  in  mind  a  dehnite  basis  of  representa- 
tion in  Conference ;  a  constitution  enabling  Conference  to  man- 
age legally  all  interests  intrusted  to  it;  and  a  possible  legal 
transfer  to  Conference  by  the  Missionary,  Tract  and  Educa- 
tion Societies,  of  their  property  and  work. 

The  publication  of  the  bicentennial  essays  was  referred 
to  the  Tract  Society. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  a  clearer 
perception  of  our  calling  as  a  people ;  praiseworthy  benevo- 
lence ;  peace  in  the  churches ;  and  a  hopeful  outlook  for  home 
and  foreign  missions.  Tract  and  Educational  interests,  and 
Sabbath  reform  work,  and  emphasized  the  increasing  demands 
made  upon  us  in  God's  good  providence. 

1874. 

DeRuytfr,  X.  Y. — There  were  reported  froni  28  churches 
129  delegates. 

L.  C.  Rogers,  delegate  to  the  Adventist  Conference,  told 
of  the  enlarged  missionary,  publishing  and  educational  work 
of  that  body. 

N.  V.  Hull  gave  an  account  of  the  visit  of  about  150  per- 
sons to  the  old  meeting  house  in  Newport,  R.  I.,  after  the  Con- 
ference in  Westerly,  in  1873;  and  of  the  interesting  exercises 
held  in  that  historic  place. 

Essays  were  read  by  Jonathan  Allen,  on  the  divine  life  in 
the  soul ;  and  by  George  E.  Tomlinson,  on  the  New  Testament 
doctrine  of  woman's  political,  moral  and  ecclesiastical  status. 

The  committee  on  the  reorganization  of  Conference  pre- 
sented, as  its  report,  an  amended  constitution,  which  was  like 
that  of  1868  in  princi])les  and  purpose,  but  more  simple  in 
form  ;  and  it  was  approved  and  referred  to  the  churches. 

Tt  was  voted  at  this  Conference  that  the  church  ought 
to  deal  with  a  minister  who  teaches  doctrines  manifestly  sul)- 
versive  of  truth  ;  and,  neglecting  this,  should  be  disfellowship- 
ped  by  the  Association. 

A  memorial  to  be  sent  to  Congress,  should  occasion  re- 
quire it,  and  one  to  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature,  were  adopt- 
ed, against  all  enactments  that  favor  the  religious  views  of 
one  sect  above  another. 

Resolutions  were  aj)i)roved  relating  to: 


204  SEVENTII-DAV    BAPTISTS: 

The  progress  of  the  Sabbath  cause  in  Great  Britain ; 

The  pernicious  practice  of  some  churches,  which,  when 
looking  for  a  pastor,  address  several  ministers  at  the  same 
time ; 

Business  co-partnerships  in  which  our  capital  is  used  on 
the  Sabbath ; 

The  use  of  intoxicants,  whether  alcohol  or  tobacco,  and 
the  faithful  temperance  work  of  women ; 

The  evil  tendencies  of  secret,  oath-bound  societies ; 
■    The  need  of  an  indwelling  Christ; 

The  repairing  of  the  meeting  house  of  our  mother  church 
in  the  ancient  city  of  Newport,  R.  I.,  and  to 

The  appointment  of  a  committee  of  seven  aged  ministers 
and  seven  aged  deacons  to  draft  a  new  expose  of  our  Chris- 
tian doctrines. 

The  committee  to  report  a  plan  for  aiding  young  men 
studying  for  the  ministry  recommended  that  churches,  pastors, 
and  parents  encourage  pious  and  talented  youth  to  consider 
the  claims  of  the  gospel  ministry ;  and  that  the  Conference  com- 
mittee be  given  power  to  raise  and  disburse  funds  to  aid 
students  enrolled  in  some  college  or  theological  seminary  of 
our  own  denomination. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  increase 
in  spiritual  life  and  in  numbers.  Over  400  had  been  baptized ; 
the  Sabbath  school  cause  was  most  hopefully  advancing;  and 
home  and  foreign  missions  had  been  blessed.  But  the  benevo- 
lent contributions  had  been  only  $3,217.10;  whereas  one  cent 
a  day  from  each  communicant  would  produce  the  greatly  need- 
ed $30,065.05. 

1875- 

Alfred^  N.  Y. — Two  hundred  and  two  delegates  from 
50  churches ;  and  Elder  Canright,  accompanied  by  Elder 
Smith,  from  the  Adventists. 

N.  V.  Hull,  delegate  to  the  Adventists,  reported  a  cordial 
reception,  and  mentioned  evidences  of  their  prosperity. 

Essays  were  read  by  L.  C.  Rogers,  on  the  Scriptural  idea 
of  the  denomination,  and  its  relation  to  individual  churches; 
and  by  T.  R.  Williams,  on  the  Biblical  doctrine  of  the  future 
state. 


THE    HULL    I'WMILY. 
Rev.  Nathan  Vars  Hull.  Rev.  Variuim   Hull. 

Mrs.    ^L•l^tha    (Hull)    Ernst. 
Rev.  Hamilton    Hull.  Rev.  Oliver  IVrry   Hul 

See    Biographical    Shctchrs,    p.  136L 


GENERAL  COXFEREXCE,  l8o2  TO  I0O2.  20$ 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relatiiii;"  to : 

Oar  denominational  vigor  as  depending  on  the  life  and 
work  of  each  church,  as  a  moral  and  spiritual  unit ; 

Spirit-filled  hearts  and  Christian  living,  as  a  supreme 
need,  in  our  work;  and  to 

Larger  and  more  regular  contributions. 

The  committee  on  an  expose  of  faith  presented  a  majori- 
{}'  and  minority  report,  both  of  which  were  recommitted. 

A  blank  form  for  letters  and  reports  from  the  churches 
was  approved. 

The  committee  to  aid  students  for  the  ministry  reported 
having  helped  seven  young  men  to  the  amoiuit  of  about  $i6o; 
and  asked   for  $500   for  the  ensuing  year. 

Fifty-one  churches  had  voted  on  the  new  constitution — - 
37  for  and  14  against ;  and  it  was  declared  adopted. 

Communications  were  received  from  two  churches  in 
serious  trouble.  The  discussion  of  one  was  postponed  indefi- 
nitely ;  and  Conference  declared  that  the  other  belonged  to  the 
Association,  but  offered  special  prayer  for  the  help  of  God. 

A  committee  was  appointed  with  authority  to  publish  a 
hymn  and  tune  book,  if  thought  best,  and  if  it  could  be  done 
without  involving  the  Conference  in  a  financial  way, 

1876. 

Walworth,  W'ls. — Elder  James  White  appeared  as  dele- 
gate from  the  Adventists.  and,  later,  gave  an  address  on  the 
relations  of  the  two  denominations. 

W.  C.  Whitford,  delegate  to  that  body,  reported  their  ac- 
tivity and  advancement,  vigor  and  religious  fervor. 

There  had  been  an  interchange  of  communications  be- 
tween Conference  and  the  Mill  Yard  church,  London. 

Essays  were  read  by  O.  U.  Whitford,  on  the  New  Testa- 
ment doctrine  of  the  resurrection  ;  and  by  James  Bailey  on  the 
philosophy  of  the  Sabbath. 

The  Executive  Board  reported  having  procured  a  char- 
ter for  d'.e  Conference,  dated  July  4,  1876;  and  that  the  doors 
of  Conference  were  open  for  the  incoming  of  the  societies  as 
constituent  members,  without  the  loss  of  legal  rights  or  pre- 
rogatives. 


206  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Young  men  studying  for  the  ministry  had  been  aided  to 
the  amount  of  $104.53. 

The  new  constitution  was  the  occasion  of  much  discus- 
sion and  committee  work,  especially  with  reference  to  the 
election  of  officers  and  the  conditions  of  membership  in  the 
Conference  by  churches. 

Resolutions   were   approved   relating   to : 

The  increased  attention  given  to  the  claims  of  the  Sab- 
bath; 

The  duty  of  ministers  to  grow  in  mind  and  heart; 

The  interchange  of  delegates  with  the  Adventists,  but 
not  the  consolidation  of  two  bodies  holding  such  opposite  views 
concerning  important  doctrines ;  and  to 

The  asking  of  one's  church  for  a  letter  of  standing  only 
to  join,  at  once,  some  sister  church. 

Resolutions  and  recommendations,  characterized  by  great 
Christian  wisdom  and  grace,  were  adopted  with  reference  to 
a  church  sadly  torn  by  dissensions ;  but  the  churches  as  a  whole 
were  in  a  prosperous  condition,  and  Sabbath  reform  work  had 
been  greatly  extended. 

1877. 

Salem^  W.  Va. — From  26  churches,  68  delegates  were  in 
attendance. 

Communications  were  received  from  William  M.  Jones, 
of  London ;  and  from  the  Hon.  Horatio  Gates  Jones,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, concerning  the  oppressive  Sunday  laws  of  that  State ; 
and  R.  S.  Welch,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  was  in- 
vited to  an  honorary  seat  in  the  Conference. 

The  new  constitution  was  amended  so  as  to  provide  for 
the  admission  of  churches  by  vote  of  Conference. 

Resolutions  were  approved  relating  to: 

The  thanks  due  Mr.  Jones  for  his  efiforts  on  behalf  of 
religious  liberty ; 

The  fining  of  two  men  in  Pennsylvania  for  working  on 
Sunday,  as  an  act  in  violation  of  the  rights  of  conscience; 

Out  great  need  of  consecration,  faith,  and  self-denial  for 
Christ  and  truth's  sake,  in  view  of  God's  care  and  the  opening 
fields ;  and  to  , 


A  GRoii'  oi'  Ri:PRi':si':.\'r.\Ti\-i-:  pastors. 

Rev.    Lcrny    I-".    Skaggs.  Rev.  James   B.   Davis. 

Rev.  Jacob   Davis.  Rev.  .Andrew  P.  Ashurst. 

See    Biographical    Sketches,    p.    1361. 


GKNIiRAL  CONFERENCE,    l8o2  TO   I()02.  20J 

The  advancing-  gospel  temperance  reform,  the  last  being 
adopted  by  a  rising  vote. 

A  memorial  to  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  was  adopt- 
ed, petitioning-  for  the  repeal  of  the  oppressive  Sunday  law  of 

-^794- 

The  committee  on  a  hymn  and  tune  book  recommended, 
again,  an  adapted  edition  of  the  "Book  of  Worship,"  to  be  pub- 
lished by  some  one  who  would  assume  all  financial  risks. 

A  minority  report,  on  a  denominational  expose,  was  pre- 
sented, and  action  upon  it  deferred  for  one  year. 

A  serious  difficulty,  involving-  two  ministers  and 
churches,  was  referred  to  a  committee,  from  whose  report  the 
following  is  taken : 

"On  the  part  of  both  it  would  have  been  better  if  there 
had  been  a  larger  exercise  of  that  charity  which  suffereth  long 
and  is  kind,  as  described  in  i  Cor.  13:  1-8.  To  the  cultiva- 
tion of  that  spirit  the  committee  respectfully  calls  the  attention 
of  the  parties  concerned,  and  of  all  parties  similarly  situated, 
as  the  agency  most  likely  to  restore  alienated  feelings,  and  to 
promote  individual  piety  and  church  prosperity. 

The  letters  from  the  churches  indicated  that  our  people 
had  been  growing  up  into  Him  who  is  the  Author  and  Fin- 
isher of  our  faith. 

1878. 

Pl.mnfield,  X.  J. — There  were  172  delegates  represent- 
ing 43  churches ;  and  Elder  J.  H.  Waggoner  was  welcomed  as 
delegate  from  the  Adventists. 

The  committee  on  hymn  and  tune  book  reported  that  it 
had  seemed  best  to  depart  from  the  letter  of  their  instructions, 
so  far  as  to  substitute  "The  Service  of  Song"  for  the  "Book  of 
Worship." 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to : 

The  abridgment  of  business  so  as  to  have  more  time  for 
other  exercises ; 

The  special  need  of  unity  of  faith  and  action,  in  view  of 
our  scattered  condition ; 

The  vital  importance  of  gospel  discipline ; 

Our  responsibility  with  reference  to  the  Decalogue,  the 
Sabbath,  and  Sabbath  reform  ;  and  to 


208  SEVENTH-DAY    UAPTISTS  I 

The  substitution  of  a  report  prepared  by  the  Secretary, 
for  the  reading  of  letters  from  the  churches  in  full. 

Hon,  Horatio  Gates  Jones  addressed  Conference  on  the 
cfiforts  to  secure  full  religious  liberty  in  Pennsylvania. 

Essays  were  read  by  A.  H.  Lewis,  on  evo'.ution;  and  by 
Varnum  Hull  on  the  differences  between  our  denomination 
and  the  Adventists. 

The  expose  presented  in  1877  was  referred  to  a  commit- 
tee of  five  to  report  in  1879. 

Our  cause  was  progressing,  though  slowly.  Many  small 
churches  had  neglected  to  report  to  Conference ;  and  it  was 
felt  that  our  people  were  seriously  lacking  in  the  sense  of  in- 
dividual responsibility. 

The  Executive  Board  of  the  Education  Society  reported, 
this  year,  to  the  General  Conference,  as  an  executive  board 
of  that  body,  under  its  new  constitution ;  and  the  constitution 
of  the  Education  Society  was  amended  to  conform  to  this  new 
relation. 

1879. 

Brookfield,  N.  Y. — From  41  churches  there  were  190 
delegates. 

Of  the  52  churches  reporting  to  the  Secretary,  six  or 
seven  had  enjoyed  revivals;  and  many  spoke  of  the  value  of 
the  Sabbath  school  and  prayer-meeting. 

More  than  one-third  of  the  churches  made  no  report  at 
all  to  Conference ;  and  over  three-fourths  failed  to  report  any 
denominational  contributions. 

A  fervent  and  fraternal  letter  was  read  from  Hon.  Ho- 
ratio Gates  Jones,  of  Philadelphia,  a  State  Senator,  who  was 
working  bravely  for  religious  liberty,  and  against  the  unjust 
Sunday  law  of  1794.  Once,  in  the  Senate,  he  lacked  only  four 
votes  of  securing  the  passage  of  his  bill. 

Nathan  Wardner,  delegate  to  the  Seventh-day  Adventist 
General  Conference,  expressed  the  opinion  that  that  people 
were  modifying  in  their  sentiments;  and  that  each  change 
brought  them  nearer  to  us  in  belief. 

Elder  James  White,  of  the  Adventists,  was  introduced 
and  welcomed  to  a  seat  in  our  Conference :  and  his  report  of 
(13) 


A  GROUP  OF   REPRESENTATIVI-:   LAV    WORKlvRS. 


Jacob  D.  Babcock. 
F.dwin  G.  Champlin. 


George    H.    Carpciitrr. 
Charles  H.  Stillniaii.  M.  I). 


GENERAL  COXFEREXCE,  l802  TO  I902.  209 

their  prosperity  was  met  by  a  resolution  expressing  fraternal 
joy. 

A  report  from  the  Executive  Board  was  adopted,  looking 
toward  a  great  improvement  in  the  Conference  exercises.  The 
chief  feature  of  this  report  was  a  program  of  subjects  for  gen- 
eral discussion,  each  subject  to  be  first  presented  in  a  carefully 
prepared  paper  or  address. 

Essays  were  read  by  A.  E.  ^lain  on  '"Intluences  which 
draw  our  young  people  from  the  Sabbath,  and  the  best  means 
of  counteracting  them ;"  and  by  T.  L.  Gardiner  on  "True  Spir- 
itual Freedom." 

The  resolutions  approved  related  to  "the  abundant  bless- 
ings of  God ;"  to  the  nature  and  need  of  revivals  of  religion ; 
to  temperance  work  in  connection  with  our  churches ;  to  a  Sab- 
bath school  paper;  to  the  good  work  by  Senator  Jones  for 
greater  liberty  of  conscience  in  Pennsylvania ;  to  higher  educa- 
tion for  our  ministrv,  and  the  theological  department  at  Al- 
fred, N.  Y. ;  and  to  home  mission  work  by  our  pastors  for  a 
month  or  more  each  year. 

The  work  of  the  committee  on  denominational  history 
still  continues,  as  very  important,  but  ever  unfinished. 

An  expose  of  faith  and  practice  was  presented,  and  its 
discussion  postponed  for  one  year. 

1880. 

Little  Genesee,  N.  Y. — Forty-six  churches  sent  about 
200  delegates. 

The  opening  address  was  by  the  President,  Rev.  A.  E. 
Main,  upon  "Our  mission,  and  the  best  ways  and  means  of  ac- 
complishing it."  , 

According  to  the  Secretary's  report  the  contributions  of 
the  churches  generally  had  greatly  increased  during  the  year. 
The  prevailing  spirit  was  hopeful ;  and  the  uplifting  feelings 
of  the  last  Conference  had  continued. 

The  important  subject,  "Duty  of  the  churches  in  refer- 
ence to  the  future  supply  of  ministerial  labor,"  was  discussed 
by  many  brethren ;  and  Rev.  O.  U.  Whit  ford  presented  an  es- 
say upon  "Denominational  literature." 

In  answer  to  a  letter  of  inquiry,  Conference  declared  its 


2IO  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

belief  that  night  and  the  following  daylight  constitute  the 
day  of  Scripture. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  made  an  encourag- 
ing report;  and  placed  special  emphasis  on  the  importance  of 
Missionary,  Tract  Society,  and  individual  church  work.  • 

Resolutions  were  adopted  calling  for  the  repeal  of  exist- 
ing Sunday  laws  in  Pennsylvania,  and  expressing  gratitude 
for  the  untiring  efforts  of  Senator  H.  Gates  Jones;  indorsing 
the  liquor  prohibitory  movement  in  Western  New  York;  com- 
mending the  labors  of  Rev.  William  M.  Jones  in  London ;  re- 
commending the  use  of  "The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Praise 
Book ;"  and  suggesting  that,  hereafter,  if  practicable,  an  entire 
day  be  given  to  each  of  our  societies. 

1881. 

Farina^  III. — From  40  churches  there  were  130  dele- 
gates. The  opening  address  by  Rev.  Joshua  Clarke,  Presi- 
dent, was  upon  "Denominational  growth." 

The  report  of  a  committee  on  civil  and  religious  liberty  in 
Pennsylvania,  told  of  many  earnest  efforts,  and  how  a  Senate 
bill  for  the  promotion  of  larger  liberty  failed  to  pass  by  only 
one  vote. 

Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis  gave  an  address  on  "The  verdict  of  his- 
tory concerning  Sunday  legislation." 

It  was  voted  to  hold  Conference  among  the  Associations 
in  the  following  order:  Eastern,  Western,  Southeastern, 
Central  and  Northwestern, 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  made  encouraging 
mention  of  harmony,  revivals,  additions  by  letter,  the  drop- 
ping of  unworthy  members,  and  growth  in  missionary  zeal. 

The  committee  on  denominational  history  dwelt  upon  the 
need  and  the  probable  preparation  of  a  history  of  our  denomi- 
nation in  England  and  America. 

1882. 

AsHAwAY  (First  Hopkinton),  R.  I. — Forty-five 
churches  sent  250  delegates.  Opening  address  by  Professor 
A,  R.  Crandall,  the  President. 

The  importance  of  the  Sabbath  school  was  discussed  with 
uimsual  interest. 


A  GROUP  OF  PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  GENERAL  CONFERENCE. 
Rev.  Eari  P.  Saunders,  1901.  Sands  C.   Maxsoii,  M.  D.,   1900. 

Walt. Ml   H.   Ingham.  1896.  Nathan    H.   Lanj;\vortliy,    i8()2. 

Sec  f^'ogra(>hical   Sketches,     p.   1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I902.  211 

There  were  two  special  sermons,  one  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Pren- 
tice upon  "Future  Retribution ;"  and  an  expository  sermon  by 
Rev.  E.  M.  Dunn,  on  i  Cor.  5:  14,  15. 

Of  the  70  churches  sending  letters,  30  reported  baptisms ; 
and  grateful  mention  was  made  of  larger  church  attendance ; 
growing  interest  in  Bible  study ;  the  erection  of  family  al- 
tars ;  more  contributions  for  denominational  work ;  and  labor 
by  churches  at  neighboring  outposts. 

Concerning  letters  from  the  churches  it  was  well 
urged  that  "they  are  absolutely  essential  to  the  work  of  the 
committee  on  the  state  of  religion,  which  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant in  the  whole  Conference." 

One  of  the  leading  subjects  discussed  was  the  need  of 
providing  facilities  for  the  education  of  our  pastors  and  mis- 
sionaries. 

The  Associations  were  asked  to  arrange,  if  found  practi- 
cable, for  the  binding  of  their  minutes  in  connection  with  those 
of  the  Conference  and  societies. 

Conference  thought  it  not  best  to  appoint  a  day  of  fast- 
ing and  prayer  with  reference  to  the  securing  of  religious  lib- 
erty in  Pennsylvania. 

Added  interest  was  given  to  the  anniversary  by  the  pres- 
ence of  Rev.  G.  Velthuysen  and  daughter,  of  Haarlem,  Hol- 
land. 

1883. 

Adams  Centre,  N.  Y. — From  51  churches  there  were 
about  190  delegates. 

Eighty-two  churches  reported,  including  6  newly  organ- 
ized; and  19  neglected  to  report. 

The  opening  address  by  Professor  W,  A.  Rogers,  Presi- 
dent, related  to  the  history  of  the  Conference  and  its  lessons 
for  the  present  hour. 

Rev.  Nathan  Wardner  preached  a  sermon  on  "The  duties 
of  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  view  of  the  demands  of  the  hour." 

The  committee  on  denominational  history  reported  the 
publication  by  the  author,  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  of  his 
autobiography. 

A   committee   was   appointed   to   take   preliminary  action 


212  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

upon  the  matter  of  establishing  Seventh-day  Baptist  headquar- 
ters at  Chautauqua,  N.  Y. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to  the  importance  of 
helping  feeble  churches,  occupying  opening  fields,  and  pray- 
ing for  more  laborers ;  and  to  prohibitory  laws  against  the  evils 
of  "nteir.perance  and  the  wickedness  of  the  liquor  traffic. 

1884. 

Lost  Creek,  W.  VA.^^Thirty-six  churches  were  repre- 
sented by  120  delegates. 

The  subject  of  the  opening  address  by  Professor  Albert 
Whitford,  President,  was  "Progressive  revelation  of  God." 

•  Resolutions  were  adopted,  changing  the  constitution  so  as 
to  provide  for  the  election  of  officers  by  the  show^  of  hands 
upon  the  report  of  a  nominating  committee ;  indorsing  total 
abstinence  and  prohibition ;  commending  a  prohibition  move- 
.ment  in  West  Virginia ;  providing  for  the  appointment  of  a 
Ministerial  Bureau  and  the  election  of  a  Woman's  Executive 
Board ;  setting  apart  thereafter  Fourth  and  Second  days  for 
the  Conference,  and  the  whole  of  Fifth,  Sixth  and  First  days 
for  the  Missionary,  Education  and  Tract  Societies,  respective- 
ly ;  assigning  the  work  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
to  the  Executive  Committee ;  and  requesting  the  Sabbath 
School  Board  to  transfer,  if  practicable,  its  publishing  work 
to  the  Tract  Society. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  that  while 
there  was  reason  to  hope  for  larger  results  in  the  near  future 
than  had  been  witnessed  for  a  generation,  still  had  the  mem- 
bership put  themselves  in  a  right  attitude  with  God  and  men, 
much  greater  increase  would  have  come. 

The  Conference  was  glad  to  welcome  brethren  J.  B.  and 
George  B.  Kagarise  from  the  German  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists of  New  Enterprise,  Pa. 

1885. 

Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y. — The  295  delegates  represented 
60  churches. 

The  subject  of  the  opening  address  by  the  President,  Wil- 
liam L.  Clarke,  was,  "Christianity  the  religion  of  progress." 

A  cordial  message  was  ordered  sent  by  telegraph  to  the 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  lf)02.  213 

National    Centennial    Temperance    Convention,    in    session    at 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

A  memorial  was  received  from  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  of  Alfred 
Centre,  urging  that  there  be  more  temperance  instruction  from 
the  pulpit  and  in  the  Sabbath  school. 

A  temperance  resolution,  taking  radical  political  grounds, 
was  earnestly  advocated  and  opposed,  and  at  last  adopted  by 
a  vote  of  62  to  25. 

Engrossed  copies  of  a  minute  protesting  against  the  un- 
christian treatment  of  Chinese  immigrants  in  our  country 
were  ordered  sent  to  the  Chinese  Legation  and  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  State,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

Rev.  W.  C.  Titsworth  was  appointed  to  furnish  impor- 
tant Conference  items  to  the  Neio  York  Independent;  and  other 
papers,  according  to  his  judgment. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  leaving  it  with  the  church 
where  Conference  meets  to  arrange  for  the  Sabbath  services, 
and  commending  the  progressive  efforts  of  the  societies. 

A  resolution  stating  a  definite  and  literal  doctrine  of  the 
second  coming  of  Christ  was  laid  on  the  table. 

Mr.  Edward  Ronayne  gave  a  Bible  reading  on  the  "Re- 
lation of  Christ  to  the  Sabbath ;''  and  papers  and  addresses 
were  given  as  follows : 

The  Topical  Study  of  the  Scriptures,  Rev.  A.  McLcarn ; 
Our  Educational  Outlook,  Professor  E.  P.  Larkin ;  Our  Re- 
formative Outlook,  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis ;  and  Our  Financial  Out- 
look, Rev.  George  B.  Utter. 

1886. 

Milton,  Wis. — There  were  225  delegates  representing  60 
churches. 

Tlie  annual  address  by  the  President,  Mr.  George  H.  l>ab- 
cock,  was  on  denominational  growth. 

Many  speakers  discussed  the  report  of  the  Sabbath  School 
Boofd:  and  it  affirmed  that  our  Sabbath  School  work  needs 
revolutionizing,  in  the  way  of  securing  a  higher  grade  of 
teaching. 

A  resolution  sent  by  the  Shiloh  church,  opposing  the  em- 
ployment of  traveling  agents,  on  salaries,  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  funds,  and  recommending  that  pastors  be  urged  to  la- 


214  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

bor  for  more  systematic  and  liberal  giving  for  our  cause,  was 
approved  by  Conference. 

Three  important  questions  were  discussed  by  many 
brethren : 

Is  denominational  growth  desirable?     And  if  so,  why? 

What  are  the  elements  of  denominational  growth? 

By  what  methods  can  denominational  growth  be  secured? 

As  is  so  often  the  case  the  failure  of  many  churches  to 
send  prompt  and  full  reports  had  to  be  regretted ;  and  then  as 
now  the  great  need  was  a  deeper  consecration  of  heart  and 
life  to  Christian  service. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  indorsing  the  doctrine  of  the 
certain  and  personal  coming  again  of  our  Lord,  and  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead ;  repeating  the  strong  no-license  and 
prohibition  sentiments  of  the  year  before,  and  favoring  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  committee  of  five  to  correspond  with  persons 
outside  the  denomination  known  to  be  interested  in  the  Sab- 
bath ;  and  with  power  to  advise  the  organization  of  new 
churches ;  to  recognize  ministers  coming  from  other  denomina- 
tions, and  to  recommend  new  laborers. 

Rev.  W.  C.  Titsworth  read  a  paper  on  Young  People's 
Work,  in  which  he  took  high  ground  on  the  relation  of  child- 
ren to  the  church,  urging  their  early  baptism,  and  participa- 
tion in  Christian  worship,  work,  and  giving. 

The  committee  on  denominational  history  dwelt  upon  the 
importance  of  historical  sketches  of  our  older  churches,  and 
recommended  that  the  publication  of  The  Scvcnth-day  Baptist 
Quarterly  be  resumed  as  soon  as  practicable. 

1887. 

Shiloh,  N.  J. — From  34  churches  there  were  about  140 
delegates. 

In  his  opening  address,  Vice-President  Rev.  A.  B.  Pren- 
tice spoke  of  the  nature,  value,  and  work  of  Conference;  and 
said.  We  are  not  too  denominational,  but  we  need  to  be  more 
consecrated  to  the  one  central  aim  and  work  of  all  Christian 
people. 

Special  prayer  was  offered  for  Rev.  G.  Velthuysen,  of 
Holland,  who  was  suffering  from  overwork. 

A  Baptist  paper  in  London,  it  w^as  learned  from  Rev,  W. 


A  GROUP   Ol-    Rl'.FRESKNTA'riXI-:    I'ASTORS. 
Rev.  Jarcd   Kenyon.  Rev.  CoorKc    J.    Cran.iall. 

Rev.   Hinini    P.    P.uniick.  Rev.  Calvert    W.    Tlirclkeld. 

See    Biographical   Sketches,    p.    1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.  2I5 

M.  Jones,  had  opened  its  columns  to  Sabbath  discussion,  and 
The  Memorial  was  doing  good  work;  but  the  Mill  Yard 
church  was  passing  through  trials. 

There  had  been  a  general  manifestation  of  interest  in  non- 
resident and  delinquent  church  members ;  and  also  a  healthy 
reh'gious  condition  and  revivals  in  many  places. 

In  the  interests  of  denominational  history  and  biography 
it  was  recommended  that  The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Quarterly 
be  revived,  or  a  historical  department  be  opened  in  The  Sab- 
bath Recorder. 

The  committee  appointed  to  correspond  with  interested 
Sabbath  inquirers,  reported  having  reached  by  encouraging 
correspondence  and  the  distribution  of  tracts  about  one  hun- 
dred persons. 

Resolutions  were  passed,  of  sympathy  for  Mr.  Velthuy- 
sen ;  referring  to  a  more  complete  report,  through  the  Cor- 
responding Secretary,  of  the  general  state  of  the  churches ; 
committing  the  Conference  again  to  warfare  against  the 
liquor  traffic ;  and  recommending  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's 
supper  at  the  Conference,  but  leaving  the  matter  with  the  en- 
tertaining church. 

The  following  subjects  were  discussed  in  the  closing  ses- 
sion : 

The  Conference  a  bond  of  unity ;  » 

The  Conference  an  inspiration ; 

The  Conference  a  promoter  of  doctrinal  unity  ; 

The  training  of  our  }'oung  people  in  work ; 

Systematic  contributions ; 

The  Conference  and  our  wSabbath  school  cause ; 

Conference  and  the  Education  Society ; 

Conference  and  Missions; 

Conference  and  the  Tract  Society ; 

Closing  words  by  the  President. 


15 

Leonardsville,  N,  Y. — Fifty  churches  were  represented 
by  235  delegates. 

The  annual  address  by  Rev.  L.  A.  Platts,  President,  was 
upon  "Our  resources  and  our  ojiportunities." 


2l6  SEVENTII-DAV    J'.APTISTS  : 

An  interesting-  letter  was  read  from  the  recently  organized 
Southwestern  Association,  Rev.  J.  F.  Shaw,  Corresponding 
Secretary,  Texarkana,  Ark. 

In  reply  to  a  request  from  the  Missionary  Society  that  the 
anniversaries  be  held  not  earlier  than  September,  Conference 
expressed  the  opinion  that  the  largest  attendance  of  young 
people,  teachers,  and  business  men  could  be  secured  in  August. 

The  importance  of  collecting  and  preserving  the  histori- 
cal and  biographical  material  was  again  emphasized ;  and  it 
vva;;  recommended,  in  view  of  the  failure  to  revive  the  Quar- 
terly, that  a  historical  department  be  opened  in  The  Recorder. 

Resolutions  were  adopted,  in  recognition  of  the  large  at- 
tendance of  our  young  people,  and  of  their  valued  co-opera- 
tion in  organized  work ;  approving  the  employment,  by  the 
Woman's  Board,  of  a  secretary  who  should  devote  her  entire 
time  to  its  work ;  expressing  gratitude  for  the  advance  move- 
ments of  the  Missionary,  Tract,  and  Education  Societies ;  in- 
dorsing total  abstinence  for  the  individual  and  prohibition  for 
the  State ;  condemning  legislation  against  rightful  business 
on  Sunday ;  recommending  special  contributions  for  the  meet- 
ing house  fund,  in  the  hands  of  the  Alissionary  Board ;  urging 
the  necessity  of  complete  and  accurate  statistical  reports  from 
the  churches ;  commending  the  principles  of  international  ar- 
bitration ;  recommending  that  the  larger  churches  supply  neigh- 
boring feeble  churches  with  preaching,  as  far  as  practicable ; 
providing  for  the  appointment  of  committees,  to  consider  and 
report  upon  the  question  of  holding  the  Conference  in  some 
place  where  delegates  and  visitors  could  obtain  entertainment 
at  their  own  expense;  to  report  to  the  next  Conference  some 
plan  for  the  organization  of  our  young  people  for  denomina- 
tional work;  to  memorialize  the  Court  of  Chancery  and  the 
General  Baptists  of  London,  England,  on  behalf  of  the  right 
of  the  Mill  Yard  church  to  certain  property  and  funds  left  in 
trust;  and  to  petition  State  Legislatures  against  Sunday  legis- 
lation, 

Li  the  report  on  the  state,  of  religion  special  mention  was 
made  of  the  need  of  pastors  in  the  Southeastern  Association ; 
of  the  pruning  of  the  membership  in  the  Central  and  Western; 


GEXERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I9O2.  21/ 

and  of  the  many  missionary  churches  in  the  Northwestern  As- 
sociation. 

Miss  Jessie  F.  Briggs  read  a  paper  upon  the  Christian  En- 
deavor movement ;  and  Rev.  A.  E.  Main  was  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  correspond  with  pastorless  churches,  and  with  min- 
isters without  pastorates. 

The  committee  on  correspondence  with  interested  per- 
sons on  new  fields,  reported  communication  with  18  persons, 
and  a  visit  by  A.  E.  Main  to  Fayetteville,  N.  C. ;  Beauregard, 
Miss.,  and  New  Orleans  and  Hammond,  La. 

1889. 

Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y. — There  were  264  delegates  from 
50  churches. 

The  opening  address  was  given  by  Mr.  I.  J.  Ordway, 
President. 

The  committee  to  put  into  communication  with  each  other 
unemployed  ministers  and  churches  in  need  of  preaching,  re- 
ported correspondence  and  Recorder  articles,  but  no  known 
results. 

Upon  the  recommendation  of  a  committee,  Conference 
elected  this  year,  the  Permanent  Committee  on  Young  Peo- 
ple's Work. 

There  had  been  correspondence  with  about  30  persons, 
most  of  whom  had  learned  of  the  Sabbath  through  our  pub- 
lications. 

The  committee  to  memorialize  legislative  bodies  reported 
the  following  items:  (i)  The  names  of  about  7,000  petition- 
ers against  the  Blair  Sunday-rest  Bill.  (2)  A  hearing  be- 
fore the  Senate  Committee.  (3)  The  death  of  the  bill  in  that 
committee.  (4)  Petitions  to  the  conventions  held  to  adopt 
constitutions  for  the  new  States  of  North  Dakota,  South  Da- 
kota, Montana  and  Washington,  against  the  petition  from  the 
American  Sabbath  Union  that  Sunday  observance  be  constitu- 
tionally required,  and  against  calling  Sunday  the  Sabbath. 

The  opinion  was  formally  expressed  that  the  examina- 
tion and  ordination  of  candidates  for  the  ministry  would  better 
take  place  in  connection  with  the  local  church  than  at  Confer- 
ence. 

By  the  adoj^tiiui  of  a  long  and  al)lc  rcjiort  of  a    special 


2l8  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

committee,  Conference  declared  its  judgment  that  the  losses  in 
having  a  permanent  location  for  its  annual  meetings  would 
far  outweigh  all  advantages;  and  voted  to  procure  a  suitable 
audience  tent  from  year  to  year. 

It  was  decided  that  it  would  be  impracticable  to  apportion 
among  the  churches  the  amounts  they  ought  to  raise  for  the 
Missionary  and  Tract  Societies. 

The  historical  and  biographical  department  in  The  Sab- 
bath Recorder  was  awakening  interest. 

The  committee  appointed  to  memorialize  the  Court  of 
Chancery  and  the  General  Baptists  of  London  concerning  the 
Mill  Yard  church,  reported  having  performed  the  task  as- 
signed. 

Committees  were  appointed  to  memorialize  Congress 
against  the  liquor  traffic  with  Africa ;  and  to  consider  and  re- 
port upon  the  moral  effects  of  lotteries  in  general,  and  of  the 
Louisiana  lottery  in  particular. 

It  was  voted  to  recommend  to  the  Associations  that  they 
consider  the  question  of  meeting  in  the  late  autumn  or  winter 
of  each  year. 

Conference  again  testified  against  the  liquor  habit  and 
traffic  and  social  impurity,  as  enemies  of  home,  community, 
church  and  State;  and,  in  view  of  the  importance  of  the  Sab- 
bath, exhorted  our  young  people  to  be  true  to  truth,  and  our 
business  men  to  furnish  all  possible  opportunity  for  earning 
places  in  the  great  world  of  industries. 

1890. 

Salem,  W.  Va.— Between  80  and  90  delegates  represent- 
ed 31  churches. 

The  annual  address  by  the  President.  Mr.  H.  D.  Babcock, 
was  upon  "Denominational  Economy." 

Forty-nine  letters  had  been  written  to  29  persons  inter- 
ested in  the  Sabbath  doctrine,  13  of  these  being  new  corres- 
pondents. 

At  this  Conference  arrangements  were  made  for  that 
great  meeting  now  known  as  the  Chicago  Council  of  1890. 
Great  progress  was  being  made  in  reporting  the  condition  of 
the  churches.  Our  growth  in  financial  strength,  opportunity 
and  responsibility    far  surpassed  our  growth  in  numbers.  From 


A  GROUP   Ol"   Ri:rKI':SENTATlVl':   PASTORS. 
Rev.  Mordecai   P..   Kelly,   Sr.  Rev.  Oliver   P.   Hull. 

Rev.  Anthony    Hakes.  Rev.   Daniel   Hahcock. 

See    Biographical    Sketches,    p.   1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,    l802  TO   1(J02.  2I9 

the  closing  words  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary  I  quote  the 
following : 

There  is,  no  doubt,  more  demonstrative  Sabbath  teaching 
in  the  living  example  of  one  true  Sabbath-keeping  family  in 
a  Sunday-keeping  community  than  could  be  accomplished  in 
any  other  way.  '■'  *  *  Let  us  not  be  too  severe  wdth  other 
people  till  we  can  experience  in  our  own  churches  and  busi- 
ness establishments,  a  real  revival  of  conscience  in  vitality, 
fervor  and  happy  obedience  to  the  spirit  of  God's  law.  *  * 
A  more  important  and  far-reaching  work  never  came  to  any 
people.  Are  we  sufificient  for  it?  *  '•■  '■'  '^  I  am  more 
than  ever  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  we  as  individuals, 
as  churches,  as  business  men,  as  ministers  of  the  gospel,  as  col- 
lege faculties,  as  Christian  students,  need  to  bow  our  hearts 
before  God  and  in  repentance  for  all  our  past  failures  seek 
for  a  complete  and  continued  consecration. 

The  committee  appointed  to  memorialize  Congress  against 
the  liquor  trade  with  Africa  reported  having  sent  addresses 
to  both  Houses. 

Resolutions  were  approved  as  follows :  Against  the 
'"Chinese  Exclusion  Act  of  1888,"  and  in  favor  of  honorable 
treatment  for  the  Chinese ;  providing  for  the  communication 
of  this  action  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  to  the 
Chinese  Representative  at  Washington,  and  to  the  Govern- 
ment in  China ;  against  the  opium  policy  of  Great  Britain  in 
China,  and  providing  for  the  report  of  this  resolution  to  the 
Chinese  Government ;  in  favor  of  some  unifying  denomination- 
al head ;  in  favor  of  uniform  courses  and  degrees  in  our  schools, 
and  of  some  kind  of  supervision  in  this  matter,  l)y  our  Educa- 
tion Society ;  against  the  curse  of  intemperance ;  urging  the 
adoption  of  the  so-called  five-cent  plan  of  systematic  benevo- 
lence; in  recognition  of  the  importance  of  reading  the  publish- 
ed minutes  and  reports  of  the  Conference  and  societies ;  in 
favor  of  strengthening  the  work  of  the  Tract  Society;  in  con- 
demnation of  the  persecution  of  Sabbath-keepers  under  the 
Sunday  laws  of  Tennessee ;  and  urging  the  more  prominent 
and  practical  recognition,  in  our  denominational  gatherings, 
of  the  importance  of  religious  education  through  liome,  church 
and  Sabbath  School. 


220  SEV'ENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS  : 

It  was  voted  to  recommend  to  the  Associations  that  they 
hold  their  annual  meetings  as  follows:  the  Southeastern,  the 
last  week  in  May ;  the  Eastern,  the  week  following,  and  so  on. 

Sabbath  day  was  appointed  as  a  day  of  prayer  for  our 
denominational   work. 

1891. 

Westerly,  R.  L — Forty-seven  church  were  represented 
by  190  delegates. 

The  subject  of  the  opening  address  by  the  President, 
George  B.  Carpenter,  was,  "The  Counting  of  our  Forces." 

The  Executive  Committee  reported  that  the  memorials 
sent  to  Washington  were  respectfully  received  and  promised 
attention.  In  the  case  of  those  sent  to  China  the  American 
Minister  at  Pekin  declined  to  present  them  to  the  Chinese 
authorities  because  they  censured  the  governments  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  and  Great  Britain  and  attacked  a  trade  established 
and  favored  in  China. 

The  report  of  the  delegates  to  the  Chicago  Council,  and 
one  directly  from  the  Council  itself,  were  received.  That  truly 
great  representative  body  was  made  up  of  delegates  from  the 
Conference,  societies,  boards  and  seventy-nine  churches ;  and 
its  published  proceedings  belong  to  one  of  the  most  important 
stages  of  our  denominational  history. 

A  resolution  requesting  delegates  and  visitors  at  this  and 
future  Conferences  to  pay  twenty-five  cents  a  day  for  their 
dinners,  the  money  to  be  divided  equally  between  the  Mission- 
ary and  Tract  Societies,  was  laid  on  the  table. 

The  number  of  churches  reporting  through  the  Corres- 
ponding Secretary  was  an  increase  over  1890  of  twenty;  and 
his  report  is  a  paper  of  great  value,  both  general  and  special. 

The  committee  on  correspondence  reported  the  sending 
of  about  50  letters  besides  printed  matter  to  21  persons,  the 
niajorit}'  of  whom  had  come  to  the  observance  of  the  Sab- 
bath. 

Resolutions  were  adopted,  setting  forth  the  importance  of 
Sabbath  reform  work,  missions,  and  higher  education ;  con- 
demning the  licensing  of  the  liquor  traffic;  declaring  it  to  be 
un-politic  and  un-christian  for  our  government  to  make  dis- 
tinctions among  immigrants  based  on  prejudice,  race,  or  color ; 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I9O2.  221 

commending  the  importance  of  our  studying  the  questions  and 
issues  raised  by  "higher  criticism ;"  urging  non-resident  church 
members  to  join,  if  practicable,  where  they  hve ;  and  express- 
ing great  satisfaction  with  the  spirit  and  work  of  our  young 
people. 

1892. 

Norton viLLE,  Kan. — There  were  146  delegates,  repre- 
senting 45  churches. 

The  opening  address  was  by  \'ice-President  Professor 
Edwin  Shaw,  upon  "Our  outlook  and  our  duties." 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  made  a  hopeful 
report,  and  emphasized  the  importance  of  love  and  evangelism. 

The  committee  on  denominational  history  called  atten- 
tion to  the  department  of  history  and  biography  in  The  Re- 
corder; to  historical  papers  relating  to  the  Mill  Yard  church, 
London,  and  the  church  of  Salem,  W.  Va. ;  to  "Jubilee  Pa- 
pers" to  be  published  by  the  Missionary  Board;  and  to  "Pa- 
ganism surviving  in  Christianity,"  by  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis. 

Those  interested  in  the  history  of  Our  Sabbath  Visitor 
would  Hnd  much  information  in  the  elaborate  report  of  a  spe- 
cial committee  made  at  this  Conference. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  reported  an  "enormous  per 
cent,  of  non-resident  members,"  and  made  most  fitting  mention 
of  our  obligations  to  needy  fields  and   small  churches. 

The  committee  on  correspondence  reported  having  writ- 
ten to  32  persons ;  and  some  of  the  cases  were  of  great  interest. 

Resolutions  were  approved  and  votes  passed,  providing  for 
denominational  exhibits  at  the  Columbian  Exjmsition ;  urging 
the  importance  of  teaching  our  children,  by  i)rccc[)t  and  exam- 
ple, in  regard  to  the  Sabbath  and  all  matters  of  truth  and  duty : 
providing  for  addresses  on  the  doctrine  of  the  Sabbath  as  a 
bond  01  union,  to  be  sent  to  the  conventions,  conferences,  and 
assemblies  of  other  Christian  bodies ;  declaring  that  a  New 
Testament  Christianity  must  be  missionary  in  spirit  and  ef- 
fort ;  again  putting  Conference  on  record  as  opposed  to  the 
use  and  licensed  sale  of  alcoholic  beverages ;  providing  for  the 
appointment  of  a  manager  of  an  Employment  l^ureau ;  author- 
izing the  sending  of  minutes  to  lone  Sabbath-keepers ;  and  in 
most   fraternal   and   appreciative   recognition   of  the   life   and 


222  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

labors  of  Rev.  George  B.  Utter,  news  of  whose  death  had  been 
sent  to  Conference. 

1893. 

Milton,  Wis. — Forty-eight  churches  were  represented 
by  about  280  delegates. 

The  subject  of  the  annual  address  by  the  President,  D.  E. 
Titsworth,  was  "Our  indebtedness." 

Devotional  exercises,  in  song  and  prayer,  filled  an  un- 
usually large  place  in  the  meetings  of  this  Conference. 

The  committee  on  denominational  exhibits  at  the  Colum- 
bian Exposition  or  Word's  Fair,  reported  that  arrangements 
had  been  made  for  such  exhibits,  and  representation  secured 
in  the  World's  Religious  Congress  and  in  its  published  proceed- 
ings. 

"The  church  and  business  men"  was  the  special  subject 
of  earnest  and  valuable  discussion  by  two  ministers  and  three 
laymen. 

There  had  been  great  activity,  during  the  year,  in  the  va- 
rious lines  of  denominational  activity;  and  the  increase  of 
membership  was  unusually  large. 

The  committee  on  denominational  history  gave  a  some- 
what detailed  description  of  our  exhibit  at  the  World's  Fair. 

The  Labor  Bureau  reported  having  found  places  for  nine- 
teen persons. 

The  committee  on  addresses  to  other  denominations  made 
an  interesting  report  and  presented  a  copy  of  a  most  able  ad- 
dress. In  the  history  of  our  Sabbath  reform  efforts  the  work 
of  this  committee  deserves  an  honored  place. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  expressing  special  gratitude  for 
the  favoring  circumstances  of  that  Conference,  for  successful 
evangehstic  labors,  and  for  the  spirit  and  work  of  our  young 
people ;  urging  our  people  to  read  all  of  our  publications,  and 
especially  The  Sabkath  Recorder;  condemning  the  protection 
of  the  liquor  traffic  by  law ;  protesting  against  the  attitude  of 
our  government  toward  the  Chinese,  as  expressed  in  the 
"Geary  law;"  providing  for  an  address  to  Congress  on  behalf 
of  international  peace;  and  recommending  renewed  and  sys- 
tematic efforts  to  raise  the  greatly  needed  money  for  our  col- 
leges. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE^  l8o2  TO  I902.  223 

About  $1,200  were  at  once  subscribed  for  IMilton  Col- 
lege. 

1894. 

Brookfield,  N.  Y. — Fifty  churches  were  represented  by 
200  delegates. 

Vice-President  C.  C.  Chipman  presided ;  but  an  address 
from  the  absent  President,  S.  W.  Maxson,  was  read,  on  "The 
relation  of  Seventh-day  Baptists  to  the  business  \vorld." 

The  committee  on  addresses  to  other  denominations  re- 
ported having  sent  about  700  copies,  mostly  to  Baptist  Asso- 
ciations ;  and  that,  as  a  rule,  the  least  cordial  treatment  had 
come  from  the  Baptists. 

The  special  and  important  subject,  "Our  theological  in- 
terests," was  thoroughly  discussed  by  ten  or  twelve  speakers. 
There  was  added  interest,  because  the  University  of  Chicago 
was  opening  the  way  for  different  denominations  to  establish 
theological  departments  there. 

Eleven  churches  reported  special  revival  seasons ;  and  both 
small  and  large  churches  were  asking  for  the  labors  of  evan- 
gelists. 

By  resolution  and  vote  Conference  committed  itself  again 
to  all  forms  of  work  to  which  divine  providence  has  called  us, 
including  aggressive  opposition  to  intemperance  and  kindred 
vices ;  magnified  the  Bible  school  work  as  of  vital  interest,  pro- 
vided a  place  for. its  discussion  in  future  programs,  and  re- 
commended home  classes  and  conventions ;  indorsed  the  po- 
sition of  the  President's  address  that  there  is  room  for  young 
Seventh-day  Baptists  in  all  honorable  callings,  provided,  how- 
ever, they  possess  the  needful  faith,  fitness,  and  firmness;  and 
declared  that  if  our  denominational  position  is  according  to 
Scripture  and  reason,  it  must  be  grounded  in  the  history  of 
the  past  and  be  making  history  for  the  future. 

A  resolution  to  close  Conference  on  Sunday  instead  of 
Monday  w^as  lost  by  a  vote  of  32  to  17,  in  a  substitute  that  set 
forth  the  importance  of  carefully  prepared  lists  of  delegates 
and  statistical  reports  from  the  churches ;  of  shortening  the 
daily  sessions  so  as  to  give  more  time  for  social  enjoyment 
and  necessary  committee  meetings;  of  having  all  regular  an- 
nual reports  presented  in  printed  form  for  circulation  so  as 


224  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

1o  dispense  with  tlu-ir  public  and  full  reading'  as  much  as  pos- 
sible ;  and  of  making  larger  provisions  for  religious  services, 
and  for  addresses  and  papers  on  great  living  questions. 

1895. 

Plainfield,  N.  J-— There  were  present  270  delegates 
from  55  churches. 

After  formal  and  cordial  welcome  by  Fastor  A.  H.  Lewis, 
President  George  H.  Utter  gave  the  annual  address  upon 
"Evangelism.'' 

Of  100  churches  94  sent  reports  ;  13  had  enjoyed  revivals ; 
great  harmony  prevailed ;  benevolent  contributions  had  been 
larger  than  ever  before ;  and  the  spirit  of  forward-looking  and 
forward-moving  seemed  to  prevail. 

By  resolution  and  vote,  Conference  appointed  a  commit- 
tee to  prepare  a  catechism  for  Junior  Endeavorers ;  expressed 
gratitude  to  God  for  the  good  work  and  encouraging  results 
of  the  year ;  recognized  the  home  as  one  of  the  best  schools 
of  temperance ;  commended  our  denominational  institutions  of 
learning  as  of  fundamental  and  essential  value ;  extended  sym- 
pathy to  Sabbath-keepers  in  various  States  w'ho  were  suf- 
fering from  unjust  Sunday  laws;  recommended  to  the  ]\Iis- 
sionary  Society  that  if  found  practicable,  it  send  help  to  the 
Mill  Yard  church,  in  London ;  recognized  the  existence  of  sin- 
cere differences  of  opinion  concerning  amusements,  but  warn- 
ed the  churches  of  the  danger  of  becoming  lovers  of  pleasures 
more  than  lovers  of  God ;  asked  that  lists  of  delegates  be  fur- 
nished at  the  opening  of  the  meeting;  expressed  gratitude  for 
the  temporal  and  spiritual  blessings  of  the  anniversary  season ; 
urged  the  envelope  plan  of  systematic  benevolence,  and  the 
giving  of  at  least  five  cents  per  week  by  each  church  member, 
for  the  enlarging  work  of  the  Missionary  and  Tract  Societies ; 
provided  for  $300  toward  the  expense  of  a  denominational  ex- 
hibit at  the  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Exposition ;  appointed  a  committee 
to  consider  and  report  upon  the  question  of  a  popular  and  com-- 
prehensive  history  of  the  denomination ;  decided  that,  at  pres- 
ent, no  change  in  the  plan  of  holding  our  anniversaries  was 
desirable ;  appointed  a  committee,  with  power,  to  confer  with 
the  First  Alfred  Church  in  regard  to  manner  of  entertainment, 
and  one  to  organize  and  conduct  a  Labor  Bureau  for  the  next 
(14) 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I902.  22$ 

year;  amended  Article  2  of  the  constitution  by  inserting  the 
words  "or  fraction  of  twenty-five,"  after  the  words  "twenty- 
five  members  of  the  church;"  declared  its  judgment  that  the 
time  had  come  for  new  and  forward  movements  in  the  way 
of  trying  to  bring  the  church  of  Christ  to  the  faith  and  prac- 
tice of  the  Sabbath;  and  recommended  that  the  Tract  Board 
call  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis  to  devote  the  rest  of  his  active  life 
to  this  special  and  important  work. 

1896. 

Alfred,  N.  Y. — Fifty-four  churches  were  represented  by 
about  265  delegates. 

\\'ords  of  welcome  by  pastor  J.  L.  Gamble  were  followed 
by  the  annual  address  of  the  President,  W.  H.  Ingham. 

It  was  announced  that  President  William  C.  Whitford, 
of  Milton  College,  had  arranged  with  the  Tract  Board  to 
place  in  their  hands,  within  two  years,  the  materials  for  an  il- 
lustrated 400  page  "Popular  History  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists" in  this  country  and  in  Europe. 

That  this  plan  was  not  accomplished  is  occasion  for  deep- 
est regret. 

There  were  five  short  addresses  on  "The  demands  of  our 
work  and  how  best  to  meet  them." 

By  resolution  and  vote,  Conference  decided  to  meet  in 
the  following  order,  by  Associations:  Southeastern,  North- 
western, Eastern,  Central  and  Western;  that  a  church's  invi- 
tation should  come  through  its  Association,  the  Association  to 
be  requested  to  arrange  for  assisting  the  entertaining  church, 
as  might  seem  best;  that  Conference  meet  the  expense  of  din- 
ing hall  or  tent,  rented  crockery  and  purchased  cutlery;  and 
recommended  that  the  bill  of  fare  for  public  dinners  and  sup- 
pers be  substantial  and  plain ;  provided  for  the  sending  of  fra- 
ternal letters  to  ministers  not  at  that  Conference ;  discontinued 
the  committee  on  correspondence;  expressed  thanks  to  God 
for  the  more  than  usual  success  attending  missionary  and  Sab- 
bath reform  work;  recognized  our  schools  as  indispensable  to 
the  fulfillment  of  our  denominational  mission;  recommended 
thai  pastors  preach  at  least  once  a  year  on  the  need  of  moral, 
political  and  social  reform ;  urged  again  the  importance  of  ac- 
curacy,  completeness   and   promptness   in   the   reports   due   to 


226  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

boards  and  secretaries ;  called  upon  our  government  to  inter- 
vene in  behalf  of  the  atrociously  treated  Christians  of  Arme- 
nia; protested  against  the  oppression  of  Sabbath-keepers  in 
some  of  the  States  and  in  Canada ;  recommended  that  the  Sab- 
bath School  Board  consider  the  question  of  publishing  pri- 
mary lesson  helps ;  witnessed  again  in  favor  of  total  absti- 
nence, and  against  legalizing  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  in- 
toxicating liquor;  and  expressed  grateful  appreciation  of  the 
labors  of  the  late  Elias  R.  Pope,  who.  for  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, had  served  as  Treasurer  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Memorial  Fund,  with  rare  faithfulness  and  ability. 

The  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis  reported  having  attended  as  dele- 
gate from  Conference  and  addressed  the  National  Purity  Con- 
gress, held  in  Baltirnore,  Md. 

A  committee  reported  having  secured  the  preparation  of 
a  catechism  for  Jvmior  Endeavorers ;  and  urged  its  use. 

The  reports  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion,  and 
of  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  exalted  evangelistic  work ; 
and  emphasized  the  cry  of  pastorless  churches  for  help,  the 
opportunities  afforded  by  outlying  preaching  stations,  and  the 
great  need  of  more  laborers. 

1897. 

Salem,  W.  Va. — Thirty  churches  were  represented  by 
105  delegates. 

"Seventh-day  Baptists  as  an  Educational  Factor"  was 
the  subject  of  the  opening  address  by  the  President,  Frank 
L.  Greene. 

As  had  too  often  been  the  case  before,  so  this  year  there 
was  just  cause  for  complaint  by  the  Corresponding  Secretary 
that  so  many  churches  failed  to  report — over  one-fourth. 

Church  letters  showed  that  the  people  desired  a  deeper 
consecration,  and  that  small  and  isolated  churches  needed  pas- 
toral care. 

Interest  and  effort  with  reference  to  denominational  his- 
tory and  biography  were  evidently  growing. 

Addresses  on  the  following  denominational  topics  were 
given :  Our  future  pastors ;  The  social  elements  in  our 
churches ;  The  isolated  brother ;  and  A  higher  standard  of  edu- 
cation. 


A  GROUP  OF   PRI-:SIl)l-:Ni'S  OI-    Till-:  (.I'-.N'l'.RAL  CONl-l'.Rl'.XCE. 
N.   WardiKT   Williams,   1898.  Henry  D.  Bahcock    1890. 

Frank  L.   Greene,    1897.  S.  Wliitford  Maxson.   i8<)4. 

Ste  Biographical   Sketches,     p.   1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,    l8o2  TO   I902.  22"/ 

The  Conference  minutes  give  larger  space  to  records  of 
religious  exercises,  such  as  morning  prayer-meetings,  preach- 
ing, the  Sabbath  schools  and  Endeavor  meetings. 

At  the  close  of  the  young  people's  prayer-meeting  the  en- 
tire congregation  went  forward  and  shook  hands  with  the  ven- 
erable Elder  and  Mrs.  S.  D.  Davis. 

By  resolution  and  vote  the  Conference  added  to  its  com- 
mittees an  Advisory  Council  consisting  of  representatives  of 
the  Boards  and  fifteen  other  persons;  urged  upon  churches 
and  individuals  the  importance  of  sending  historical  and  bio- 
graphical material  to  the  libraries  of  our  colleges;  called  the 
attention  of  the  churches  to  our  great  and  growing  opportu- 
nities, and  of  our  young  people  to  the  privilege  and  duty  of 
fitting  themselves  for  highest  places  in  their  chosen  callings ; 
recommended  the  disuse  of  tobacco,  and  placed  itself  on  the 
side  of  abstinence  and  prohibition  in  the  battle  between  the 
church  and  the  saloon;  approved  of  efforts  to  secure  certain 
books  published  by  the  English  Seventh-day  Baptists  about 
the  sixteenth  century ;  and  authorized  a  uniform  system  of 
church  record  books,  and  the  publication  of  a  leaflet  contain- 
ing the  Endeavor  pledge,  topics  and  daily  readings. 

The  report  of  the  Advisory  Council,  after  surveying  the 
work  and  needs  of  the  societies  and  Conference  Boards,  re- 
commended that  each  church  or  a  group  of  churches  send  at 
least  one  delegate  to  Conference,  defraying,  if  necessary,  the 
expenses ;  that  young  people  attend,  as  much  as  possible,  our 
annual  denominational  meetings :  that  we  cultivate  a  deeper 
interest  in  the  cause  we  represent ;  that  a  standing  committee 
be  appointed  to  seek  to  secure  from  the  churches  the  contribu- 
tions needed  by  the  Missionary  and  Tract  Societies ;  that  every 
church,  however  small,  be  urged  to  complete  its  organization, 
if  now  incomplete,  by  selecting  a  religious  leader  or  elder 
from  its  own  members ;  that  young  people  be  encouraged  to 
exercise  their  gifts,  and  to  do  gospel  work,  and  also  to  fit 
themselves  for  rendering  valuable  service  in  many  fields  of 
industry;  that  our  foreign  work  be  sustained,  and  home  mis- 
sions increased ;  and  that  Sabbath  reform  and  evangelism  be 
advanced,   in   closest    fellowship. 


22C>  SEVEXTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

1898. 

Milton  Junction,  Wis. — There  were  212  delegates  rep- 
resenting 53  churches. 

Ibe  annual  address,  following  the  welcome  by  Pastor 
George  W.  Burdick,  was  given  by  the  President,  N.  Ward- 
ner  Williams. 

The  excellent  report  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary 
showed  that  the  year  had  been  one  of  more  than  average 
prosperity  with  nearly  all  the  churches.  There  had  been  de- 
cided gains  in  the  benevolent  contributions,  and  an  increase 
in  the  w'ork  done  by  the  churches  in  surrounding  neighbor- 
hoods. Harmony  and  efficiency  in  existing  organizations  pre- 
vailed ;  but  the  small  and  scattered  churches  needed  permanent 
leadership  and  regular,  even  if  not  weekly  preaching.  And 
there  were  many  Sabbath-keeping  ministers  and  hundreds  of 
others  in  America  and  other  countries,  not  connected  with  the 
Conference. 

The  Advisory  or  Permanent  Committee  favored  some 
pro  rata  plan  for  raising  funds  for  the  societies ;  reported  hav- 
ing worked  through  their  associational  members  with  a  fair 
mcasin  c  of  success,  it  was  believed ;  and  earnestly  urged  en- 
larged and  more  aggressive  Sabbath  reform  efiforts. 

Great  progress  had  been  made  in  gathering  historical  and 
biographical  material,  and  in  realizing  the  extent  of  the  field 
open  to  research. 

One  valuable  part  of  this  Conference  was  an  unusually 
large  number  of  short  addresses  upon  various  phases  of  our 
denominational  life  and  mission,  on  the  regular  program,  and 
on  the  special  program  of  the  Brotherhood. 

The  Bureau  of  Employment  and  Correspondence  report- 
ed having  received  and  written  hundreds  of  letters,  and  placed 
many  employers  and  unemployed  in  communication  with  one 
another,  and  believed  that  the  organization  was  one  of  great 
possible  usefulness. 

By  resolution  and  vote  Conference  indorsed  the  Tract 
Board  and  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis,  our  leader  in  Sabbath  re- 
form, and  expressed  the  belief  that  there  w^as  a  widespread 
feeling  that  more  field  Sabbath  reform  work  ought  to  be  done, 
among  our  own  people  and  beyond  the  bounds  of  our  churches  ; 


GENERAL  CONFEREXCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.  229 

recorded  its  appreciation  of  the  President's  address,  pledged 
itself  to  greater  unity  of  spirit,  purpose,  and  labor,  and  ap- 
proved of  a  denominational  Advisory  Committee  to  consist  of 
the  present  Executive  Committee  increased  by  the  addition  of 
the  Corresponding  Secretaries  of  the  three  societies;  referred 
the  case  of  Mr.  Joseph  Booth,  a  returned  missionary  from 
British  Central  Africa,  and  a  convert  to  the  Sabbath,  and  his 
plan  for  an  industrial  mission,  to  the  Missionary  Board;  cor- 
dially commended  the  work  of  our  Boards,  permanent  com- 
mittees, and  schools ;  condemned  the  army  "canteen,"  and  the 
liquor  traffic  as  a  great  moral,  social  and  political  wrong;  ap- 
proved of  securing  a  special  edition  of  some  standard  hymn 
book  for  the  use  of  our  churches ;  recommended  to  the  Educa- 
tion Board  the  publishing  of  Rev.  J.  L.  Gamble's  paper  on 
Christian  Education ;  requested  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of 
the  Tract  Society  to  memorialize  the  Executive  Committee  of 
the  National  W.  C.  T.  U.  against  Sunday  laws ;  and  expressed 
"most  devout  gratitude  to  God  our  Father  for  his  great  good- 
ness and  mercy ;  his  we  are,  and  him  we  would  serve." 

President  Williams  had  devoted  a  great  deal  of  time  to 
the  preparation  of  the  program  ;  and  two  prominent  charac- 
teristics were  a  large  amount  of  music ;  and  an  unusually 
large  number  of  different  speakers,  from  all  parts  of  the  de- 
nomination, before  both  Conference  and  the  societies. 

1899. 

AsiiAWAY^  R.  I. — By  the  appointment  of  66  churches 
there  were  313  delegates  present. 

A  formal  address  of  welcome  by  Pastor  Clayton  A.  Bur- 
dick  was  followed  by  the  annual  address  of  the  Conference 
President,  Rev.  O.  U.  Whitford. 

There  were  addresses  upon  the  following  subjects: 

The  need  of  deeper  spiritual  life  in  view  of  our  work  in 
evangelism   and   Sabbath   reform ; 

What  ought  our  pastors  to  do  to  deepen  spiritual  life  in 
their  churches ; 

The  influence  of  family  and  social  life  upon  the  spiritual 
life  of  the  church ; 

How  can  money  and  business  be  made  to  promote  spiritual 
life; 


230  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

The  Bible  and  the  future  of  Seventh-day  Baptists; 

Training  of  the  young,  and  the  future  of  Seventh-day 
Baptists ; 

The  importance  of  adult  attendance  at  Sabbath-school, 
and  how  to  secure  it; 

The  common  problem,  a  plea  for  sunshine ; 

Children  and  the  church ;  and 

The  relation  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  movement  to  the 
activity  of  our  young  people. 

The  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis,  committee,  reported  a  letter  from 
the  National  Woman's  Christian  Union  in  which  the  Corres- 
ponding Secretary  says :  "I  sincerely  trust  we  may  be  able  to 
come  to  some  basis  of  agreement  (with  reference  to  the  pro- 
motion of  Sabbath  observance)   in  the  not  distant  future." 

The  Hymn  Book  Committee  reported  progress. 

The  Committee  on  Denominational  History  reported  a 
growing  interest  in  their  work,  and  called  attention  to  the  in- 
creasing importance  of  preserving  all  matter,  MSS.  or  print- 
ed, relating  to  our  past ;  to  the  plan  of  the  Tract  Board  to  se- 
cure and  bind  six  sets  of  all  available  publications,  for  the  use 
of  the  Board  and  for  our  schools  at  Alfred,  Milton  and  Sa- 
lem; to  the  proposed  dedication  of  a  beautiful  monument,  by 
the  First  Hopkinton  Church,  to  its  earlier  pastors,  and  located 
on  the  spot  where  a  meeting  house  was  built  in  1680 ;  and  to 
the  impressive  fact  that  that  Conference  met  on  historic 
ground. 

The  minutes  contain  the  dedication  addresses  and  poem. 

By  resolution  and  vote  Conference  continued  and  enlarg- 
ed the  committee  to  correspond  with  the  National  W.  C.  T. 
U. ;  indorsed  the  Ecumenical  Conference  on  Foreign  Missions 
to  be  held  in  New  York  City  in  1900;  arranged  to  furnish, 
when  needed,  an  auditorium  tent,  and  to  purchase  more  sil- 
verware ;  reaffirmed  its  opposition  to  the  saloon  and  the  "can- 
teen ;"  appointed  a  committee  to  consider  the  advisability  of 
organizing  a  Mutual  Church  Insurance  Society ;  established 
a  Board  of  Pastoral  Supply ;  extended  thanks  to  the  Seventh- 
day  Adventist  New  England  Conference,  owner  of  the  audi- 
torium tent ;  acknowledged  all  the  mercies  of  God,  and  prom- 


GKXERAL  COXFEREXCE,  l802  TO  I9O2.  23I 

.  ised  to  "seek,  for  the  coming  year,  a  more  consecrated  devo- 
tion to  the  work  committed  to  our  hands." 

1900. 

Adams  Cextre,  N.  Y. — From  56  churches  there  were 
214  delegates.  The  Conference  was  welcomed  by  Pastor  A. 
B.  Prentice,  in  behalf  of  the  Central  Association  and  the 
Adams  Church ;  and  the  annual  address  was  delivered  by  the 
President,  S.  C.  Maxson. 

The  committee  appointed  to  attend  a  meeting  of  certain 
Sabbath-keepers  in  Jersey  City,  X.  ].,  reported  that,  although 
cordially  received,  their  doctrines  and  customs  were  too  far 
removed  from  our  own  for  any  close  fello\yship  to  be  practi- 
cable or  profitable. 

The  committee  that  was  continued  to  appeal  to  the  Na- 
tional Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  to  treat  the  Sab- 
bath question  solely  as  a  religious  one,  reported  that  two  of 
their  members  attended  and  addressed  the  convention,  and,  it 
was  believed,  considerably  modified  the  opinion  of  the  W.  C. 
T.  U.  as  to  Sunday  legislation  in  general,  and  its  relation  to 
Sabbath-keepers. 

Many  churches  had  failed  to  send  reports ;  but  so  far  as 
these  made  it  possible,  the  report  of  the  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary was  a  model  outline  survey  of  the  state  of  our  cause  and 
the  work  of  the  churches. 

The  Committee  on  Denominational  History  reported  cor- 
respondence by  Mr.  Charles  H.  Greene,  of  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  with 
Sabbath-keepers  in  South  America,  England,  Denmark,  Ger- 
many, Galatia,  Norway,  Holland,  Italy,  and  Africa;  and  the 
securing  of  valuable  materials  for  the  history  in  course  of 
preparation  by  President  Whitford,  of  Milton  College. 

One  evening  was  given  to  the  newly  organized  Sabbath 
Evangelizing  and  Industrial  Association,  which  had  begun 
work  in  P>ritish  Central  Africa  and  on  the  Gold  Coast. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported,  for  the 
Eastern  Association,  an  encouraging  condition ;  for  the  South- 
eastern, several  churches  revived  and  strengthened  through 
the  efforts  of  evangelists  and  the  Salem  College  quartet ;  for 
the  Central,  small  churches  blessed  by  evangelistic  work ;  for 
the  Western,   several  precious  revivals,  pastors    and    Alfred 


232  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

quartets  laboring  together;  for  the  Northwestern,  good  work, 
also,  by  pastors  and  quartets ;  for  the  Southw'estern,  better  or- 
ganization and  higher  spiritual  life ;  and  for  Holland,  additions 
at  both  Rotterdam  and  Haarlem. 

The  Board  of  Pulpit  Supply  and  Ministerial  Employment 
reported  having  brought  together  several  ministers  and 
churches  and  needy  fields ;  and  were  hopeful  as  to  the  Board's 
increasing  usefulness. 

There  were  addresses  before  Conference  upon  the  follow- 
ing subjects: 

The  brotherhood  idea ; 

How  may  our  churches  help  one  another? 

How  may  we  magnify  brotherhood  in  Christ? 

Industrial  missions  ; 

The  Gold  Coast,  West  Africa,  by  Rev.  William  C.  Da- 
land,  lately  from  that  field; 

The  Bible  as  the  Word  of  God ; 

The  Bible  as  our  hand  book; 

The  Bible  as  literature; 

Denominational  history  and  doctrine  in  the  Sabbath 
school ; 

The  practical  side  of  the  Ecumenical  Conference; 

China ; 

Emphasis ; 

Personal  responsibility ; 

The  kind  of  young  people  needed  to-day  ; 

The  Junior  Society;  its  place  and  work;  and 

The  conditions  of  success  in  Christian  Endeavor  work. 

By  resolutions,  votes,  and  adopted  reports,  Conference 
requested  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the 
National  W.  C.  T.  U.  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  November, 
1900;  recommended  that  the  constitution  be  so  changed  as  to 
give  each  church  four  delegates  as  a  church,  and  two  for  every 
twenty-five  members  or  fraction  thereof;  that  every  church  be 
urged  to  send  at  least  one  delegate  to  every  Conference,  even 
though  it  have  to  be  by  special  appointment  and  at  the  expense 
of  the  church ;  that  all  annual  reports  be  given  to  Conference 
in  printed  form,  if  possible,  and  read  in  the  briefest  possible 
summaries ;  that  only  one  full  obituary  sketch  of  the  same  per- 


A    GROUP 
Rev.  Edward  B.  Saunders. 
Rev.  Oliver  D.  Sherman. 


OF     MINLSTi-.RS. 

Rev.   Lol)l)oiis   M.   Cottrcll. 
Rev.   Tamos  I'".  N.  Backn.s. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I902.         233 

son  be  printed,  and  in  the  minutes  of  the  Conference  or  of  a 
society,  as  may  seem  most  fitting";  "that  representatives  of  the 
Conference  proper,  its  Board  and  Permanent  Committee,  the 
denominational  societies,  and  our  institutions  of  learning,  meet 
on  the  Tuesday  before  Conference  and  the  Tuesday  after  Con- 
ference, for  the  purpose  of  fraternal  and  deliberate  discussion 
of  subjects  of  present  and  vital  interest  to  our  people,  in  the 
hope  of  increasing  still  more  the  unity  and  efificiency  of  all  our 
agencies;"  that  the  Conference  meet  in  1902,  its  centennial 
year,  with  the  First  Hopkinton  Church,  Ashaway,  R.  I.,  the 
place  of  its  first  meeting,  and  that  a  committee  of  arrange- 
ments be  appointed,  to  consist  of  one  member  from  each  As- 
sociation and  one  additional  member  from  the  First  Hopkin- 
ton Church ;  decided  that  it  was  not  advisable  to  organize  a 
Denominational  Church  Insurance  Association ;  appointed  a 
committee  to  study  and  recommend  wa}'s  and  means  of  enter- 
taining Conference,  and  report  at  the  next  annual  meeting; 
pledged  itself  anew  to  the  grateful  support  of  our  denomina- 
tional boards  and  societies ;  and  condemned  all  efforts  to  es- 
tablish a  "civil  Sabbath." 

1901. 

Alfred^  N.  Y. — There  were  present  380  delegates  to  rep- 
resent 57  churches.  In  connection  with  a  service  of  praise  and 
prayer  the  Conference  was  welcomed  on  behalf  of  the  Western 
Association  and  the  First  Alfred  Church  by  Pastor  L.  C.  Ran- 
dolph; and  the  annual  address  was  given  by  Rev.  Farl  P. 
Saunders,  President  of  the  Conference. 

A  Convention  representing  the  Conference  and  nearly 
all  the  denominational  societies,  boards,  and  schools,  called  for 
the  discussion  of  common  interests,  had  been  held  at  Alfred 
on  the  day  preceding  Conference,  and  was  reported  to  that 
body. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  reported  correspondence 
with  the  representatives  of  about  two  hundred  Sabbath-keep- 
ing r>aptists  then  living  principally  in  South  Dakota  and  Ok- 
lahoma, and  who  were  largely  converts  from  the  Lutherans. 
His  report  also  showed  the  too  common  neglect  of  church 


2330!  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

officials  in  the  matter  of  furnishing  statistical  information ;  and 
the  unfortunate  condition  indicated  by  a  large  number  of  non- 
resident members. 

The  Trustees  of  the  Memorial  Fund  reported  an  en- 
dowment for  various  denominational  purposes  of  $323,013.15. 

The  Sabbath  School  Board  reported  the  prosperity  of  the 
Helping  Hand;  the  failure  of  efforts  in  the  direction  of  pri- 
mary leaflets  and  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  Quarterly ;  a  good 
financial  condition ;  little  institute  work ;  the  recommendation 
that  a  series  of  small  tracts  on  denominational  history  and 
doctrine  be  published ;  and  the  hope  of  soon  coming  into  the 
possession  of  Our  Sabbath  Visitor. 

The  Committee  on  Denominational  History  reported  most 
encouraging  progress  in  the  work  of  collecting  and  binding  all 
the  publications  of  our  people,  past  and  present,  for  the  use 
of  our  general  societies  and  schools.  President  Whitford  of 
Milton,  Wis.,  was  still  engaged  in  the  preparation  of  his  popu- 
lar and  illustrated  history  of  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  England 
and  America.  And  the  committee  referred  to  the  great  im- 
portance of  the  Centennial  Conference  to  be  held  in  Rhode 
Island  in  1902. 

One  afternoon  eleven  group  meetings  were  held,  attended 
by  representatives  of  different  classes  of  Christian  workers 
and  departments  of  church  work,  such  as  ministers,  superin- 
tendents, teachers,  deacons,  clerks,  etc. 

The  Sabbath  Evangelizing  and  Industrial  Association, 
engaged  in  industrial  missions  in  Africa,  presented  its  third 
annual  report.  Notwithstanding  difficult  and  perplexing  prob- 
lems the  outlook  then  seemed  by  no  means  to  be  without  hope. 

On  Sixth-day  evening  there  were  three  prayer  and  con- 
ference meetings,  and  they  were  well  attended  and  full  of 
interest. 

The  Woman's  Board  was  still  showing  itself  to  be  an  im- 
portant factor  in  denominational  work,  for  the  promotion  of 
which  it  had  expended  about  $2,200.00. 

On  Second-day  morning,  in  connection  with  the  sunrise 
meeting,  the  Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated  for  the  benefit  of 
isolated  Sabbath-keepers. 

The  committee  appointed  in  1900  to  prepare  a  program 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I9O2.        233& 

for  the  Centennial  Conference  presented  a  comprehensive  and 
elaborate  report. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Obituaries  contained  the 
following  names :  Elder  Peter  Sorensen,  a  Dane,  Yorkville, 
Wis. ;  Deacon  H.  H.  Williams,  West  Edmeston,  N.  Y. ;  Deacon 
J.  D.  Rogers,  Leonardsville,  N.  Y. ;  Ella  F.  Swinney,  M.  D., 
Shiloh,  N.  J.,  a  medical  missionary  to  China;  J.  A.  Baldwin, 
M.  D.,  Dover,  N.  J. ;  Elder  J.  P.  Lindquist,  a  Swede,  Con- 
cordia, Kan. ;  Deacon  Geo.  H.  Lilly,  Albion,  Wis. ;  Deacon  J. 
B.  Whitford,  Nile,  N.  Y. ;  Deacon  Joseph  West,  State  Bridge, 
N.  Y. ;  and  Deacon  Eugene  Ellis,  Dodge  Centre,  Minn. 

The  committee  on  a  denominational  hymn-book  recom- 
mended "Life-Time  Hymns"  in  a  special  Seventh-day  Baptist 
edition ;  and  the  committee  was  continued. 

The  Finance  Committee  recommended  an  apportionment 
of  $762.08. 

It  was  voted  to  send  Rev.  F.  J.  Bakker  of  Rotterdam, 
Holland,  on  a  mission  to  Denmark  and  Germany. 

The  second  article  of  the  constitution  was  amended  so  as 
to  double  the  number  of  delegates  that  could  be  appointed  by 
the  churches. 

The  committee  on  pulpit  supply  and  ministerial  employ- 
ment reported  correspondence,  help  given,  and  the  growing 
importance  of  its  work. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  relating  to  the  great 
mercies  of  God  and  to  increased  devotion  to  our  work ;  to  the 
good  work  done  by  the  various  societies  and  boards ;  to  in- 
dustrial missions ;  to  the  preparation  of  our  children  and  young 
people  for  life's  work  under  the  best  possible  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist influences ;  to  the  unholy  business  of  the  saloon ;  and  to 
the  economical  and  moral  evils  of  tobacco  using. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  entertainment  of  Con- 
ference, which  was  adopted,  recommended  special  plans  for 
the  Centennial  Conference  of  next  year;  and  that  a  committee 
be  appointed  to  canvass  the  whole  general  subject  of  Confer- 
ence entertainment  and  report  in  1902. 

The  treasurer  of  the  Young  People's  Permanent  Com- 
mittee reported  an  expenditure  of  $547.60  for  various  denomi- 
national purposes.     The  secretary's  report  was  an  able,  very 


233^"  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

complete,  strong,  and  inspiring  statement  and  appeal.  "We 
are  cheered  and  encouraged,"  it  said,  "as  we  realize  the  earnest 
effort  that  many  of  our  young  people  have  put  forth  during 
the  past  year."  The  new  Junior  Superintendent  made  her 
first  and  an  important  annual  report.  The  purpose  in  this 
line  of  effort  was  to  promote  "the  religious  training  of  the 
boys  and  girls."  The  Junior  societies  had  raised  $208.51, 
largely  for  missionary  purposes ;  five  new  societies  had  been 
organized;  and  26  Juniors  had  joined  the  churches. 

The  most  encouraging  statement  was  made  that  the  sum 
of  $10,500.00  had  been  pledged  for  the  increase  of  the  endow- 
ment of  the  Theological  Department  of  Alfred  University. 
This  Conference  was  an  important  and  far-reaching  turning 
point  in  the  history  of  theological  education  among  Seventh- 
day  Baptists. 

Sermons,  addresses,  and  papers  were  given  on  such  sub- 
jects as  the  following:  Industrial  Missions  in  Africa;  The 
Joy  of  the  Harvest  of  Righteousness ;  He  will  not  suffer  thy 
foot  to  he  moved ;  The  Bible  school,  its  ways  and  work ;  Tith- 
ing; Our  China  Mission;  The  Second  Commandment;  The 
Model  Seventh-day  Baptist  Minister;  The  Outlook  for  Sab- 
bath Reform;  (the  last  three  addresses  were  in  the  Brother- 
hood Hour);  The  Sabbath:  a  present  crisis;  The  great  re- 
sponsibility resting  upon  our  young  people ;  and,  Jesus  gives 
drink  to  the  thirsty. 

As  there  had  been  a  convention  before  Conference  so  one 
was  held  on  the  day  following,  when  topics  of  general  denomi- 
national interest  were  discussed,  such  as  Industrial  Missions, 
the  Sabbath  Recorder,  and  Theological  Education. 

Summary  of  Statistics: — Number  of  churches,  116;  num- 
ber reporting,  84 ;  number  of  ministers  and  missionary  pastors, 
122;  number  of  licentiates,  9;  number  of  churches  organized 
before  1800,  9;  number  organized  between  1800  and  1850,  45; 
between  1850  and  1900,  59;  in  1900-1901,  3;  number  of  mem- 
bers reported,  9,257 ;  additions,  334 ;  losses,  288 ;  resident  Sab- 
bath-keepers, 10,575  >  money  raised,  not  including  personal 
gifts,  $50,409.27,  an  average  per  member  of  $4.77. 

The  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference  always  took 
a  broad-minded  and  warm-hearted  view  of  the  world's  work; 


GENERAL   CONFERENCE,    l802   TO    I902.  233c/ 

hence  its  influence  and  scope  steadily  increased.  And  at  the 
end  of  a  century  we  find  it  earnestly  seeking  to  solve  the  old 
and  the  new  problem  of  still  further  strengthening  and  unify- 
ing all  lines  of  our  growing  work. 

1902. 

First  Church  of  Hopkinton,  Ashaway,  R.  I. — This 
meeting  of  Conference  was  called  its  One  Hundredth  Anni- 
versary.^ There  were  in  attendance  428  delegates  representing 
58  churches  ;  32  from  the  Southeastern  Association ;  192  from 
the  Eastern  ;  62  from  the  Central ;  97  from  the  Western ;  42 
from  the  Xorthwestern ;  i  from  the  Southwestern ;  and  2  from 
Shanghai,  China. 

Pastor  Clayton  A.  Burdick  gave  the  address  of  welcome ; 
Rev.  L.  A.  Platts,  Corresponding  Secretarji,  responded  in 
behalf  of  the  delegates;  and  the  President  of  Conference, 
Henry  M.  Alaxson,  presented  the  annual  address,  his  subject 
being  "The  Home."  "Of  all  the  discoveries  of  the  age,  the 
greatest  is  the  discovery  of  the  child.  ...  If  we  hope  to  have 
a  strong  church  twenty  years  from  now,  we  must  lay  the 
foundation  in  our  training  of  the  children  of  today." 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  reported  a  roll  of  108 
churches,  with  reports  from  86.  Available  statistics  showed 
a  membership  of  9,292,  with  a  gain  of  98. 

The  Trustees  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial  Fund 
reported  a  total  endowment  fund  held  for  the  benefit  of 
various  denominational  interests  of  $412,063.21. 

The  Sabbath  School  Board  reported  an  average  edition  of 
the  Helping  Hand  of  3.033;  the  purchase  of  the  Sabbath  J'l's- 
itor ;  a  good  financial  support  from  the  schools :  progress  in 
the  preparation  of  a  series  of  tracts  on  denominational  history 
and  doctrines ;  and  recommended  more  institute  work,  more 
home  departments,  and  a  general  increase  of  manifested  in- 
terest in  tlie  Sabbath  school  cause.  The  Tract  Society  had 
published  the  Helping  Hand  at  a  cost  of  $616.1  r,  with  receipts 
from  subscriptions  of  $695.85.  Other  expenses  of  the  B)Oard 
had  been  $618.57. 

1.     There  arc   those   who   think   it   was  the   One  IIuiKlrcd  and   Second. 


233^  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

The  Woman's  Board  reported  the  receipt  and  disburse- 
ment of  nearly  $1,900,  besides  over  $400  raised  by  local 
societies  but  not  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the  Board. 

The  Board  of  Pulpit  Supply  reported  helpful  correspond- 
ence with  some  ten  churches,  and  several  young  men  and 
ministers. 

In  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Obituaries  appear  the 
names  of  the  following  ministers :  Austin  H.  Williams,  Amos 
R.  Cornwall,  L.  Elias  Dilday,  Henderson  C.  Brazeal,  John  O. 
Quillen,  Julius  M.  Todd,  Halsey  Stillman,  Orville  D.  Wil- 
liams, and  William  C.  Whitford  (Milton,  Wisconsin),  and 
deacons  Perry  Cole,  J.  F.  Morgan,  C.  J.  Ericson,  Willard  P. 
Mason,  Frederick  G.  Jarl,  Henry  D.  Burdick,  and  Samuel  P. 
Griffin ;  and  to  the  list  was  added  the  name  of  Mrs.  Ruth 
Hemphill  Whitford. 

The  report  of  a  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means  of  en- 
tertaining Conference,  which  was  adopted,  recommended  the 
so-called  "Harvard  Plan",  delegates  and  visitors  paying  for 
their  dinners  and  suppers ;  and  that  a  committee  be  appointed 
to  consider,  and  report  at  the  next  Conference,  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  having  one  or  more  fixed  places  for  holding  our  Anni- 
versaries. 

Joint  recommendations  from  the  Executive  and  Finance 
Committees  were  adopted,  relating  to  provisions  for  the  pub- 
lication in  book  form  of  the  proceedings  and  historical  papers  of 
that  anniversary  of  the  Conference  and  the  societies. 

The  report  of  a  committtee  on  the  readjustment  of  our 
denominational  organization,  which  was  adopted,  recom- 
mended that  both  women  and  men  be  elected  as  members  of 
the  various  denominational  boards ;  that  the  three  societies 
(Missionary,  Tract,  and  Education)  be  invited  to  so  arrange 
their  programs  as  to  give  all  the  evenings  to  the  work  of  Con- 
ference ;  and  that  an  Advisory  Council  be  appointed,  represent- 
ing all  lines  of  our  work,  which  shall  meet  before  the  next 
anniversary  for  the  purpose  of  carefully  considering  means 
and  methods  for  unifying  and  strengthening  all  of  our  de- 
nominational  interests. 

The  Sabbath  morning  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  D. 


HENRY   M.   MAXSON,   D.    PED. 
See   Biograflvcal    Sketches,    p.  1361. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l802  TO  I902.        233/^ 

Burdett  Coon,  a  great  grandson  of  Elder  Abram  Coon, 
Moderator  of  the  Conference  from  1802  to  1806.  The  text 
was   from  Numbers  xxiii,  2;^,   What  hath   God  ztroiight! 

The  Young  People's  Secretary  reported  44  Endeavor  so- 
cieties; a  membership  of  1,994;  and  receipts  of  over  $1,800. 
The  report  urged  greater  enthusiasm,  greater  devotion,  and 
greater  efficiency  in  the  Lord's  work. 

The  Junior  Superintendent  reported  31  Junior  societies 
with  a  membership  of  733  ;  4  Intermediate,  with  a  member- 
ship of  81;  the  raising  of  $192;  and  that  179  Juniors  were 
church  members,  56  having  joined  the  past  year.  "The  hope 
of  our  future  as  a  denomination  is  in  our  children." 

The  chief  feature  of  the  session  was  the  celebration  of  the 
one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  organization,  for  which  a 
special  program  had  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  the 
report  of  the  special  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose 
two  years  before.  Their  report  presented  and  adopted 
a  year  ago  is  as  follows: 

To  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference: 

Your  Committee  appointed  in  1900,  to  arrange  a  programme  for 
appropriate  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  General  Conference, 
at  Ashaway,  R.  I.,  in  1902,  composed  of  the  following:  Deacon 
Charles  C.  Chipman,  Eastern  Association ;  Rev.  Clayton  A.  Burdick, 
First  Hopkinton  Church;  Rev.  L.  R.  Swinney,  Central  Association; 
Pres.  B.  C.  Davis,  Western  Association;  Pres.  W.  Clarke  Whitfnrd, 
Northw^estern  Association ;  Pres.  T.  L.  Gardiner,  Southeastern  Associa- 
tion ;  Dea.  W.  R.  Potter,  Southwestern,  beg  leave  to  report  as  follows : 

CONFERENCE  PROGR.AMME,   I902. 

1.  Historical    Sketch   of   the    Sabbath   from   Christ   down   to    its    ap- 

pearance  in   England,   Rev.    Abram   H.   Lewis. 

2.  Historical  Sketch  of  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  England,  Rev.  Wil- 

liam  C.   Daland. 

3.  Historical  Sketch  of  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  America  previous  to 

1802,  Rev.  William  Clarke   Whitford. 

4.  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference 

from   1802  to   1902,  Rev.   Arthur  E.   Main. 

5.  Address,  "Lessons   from  the  Past,"   Rev.   Stephen   Burdick. 

6.  Address,  "A  Forward  Look,"  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner. 

7.  Work  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Me- 

morial   Fund. 


233^  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

8.  Work  of  the  Woman's  Board. 

9.  Work  of  the  Young  People's  Permanent  Committee. 

10.  Work  of  the  Sabbath  School  Board,  including  all  Sabbath-school 

work    among    Seventh-day    Baptists. 

11.  Work   of   the    Employment   Bureau. 

12.  Work   of   the   Committee   on   Pastoral    Supply. 

13.  Work   of   the    Brotherhood. 

14.  Historical    Sketches    of    the    Associations : 

a.  Eastern,  Hon.  George  H.  Utter. 

b.  Central,  Rev.  Asa  B.   Prentice. 

c.  Western,   Rev.   William   L.   Burdick. 

d.  Northwestern,   Rev.   Lewis  A.   Platts. 

e.  Southeastern,   Corliss   F.   Randolph. 
/.  Southwestern,  Rev.  James  F.  Shaw. 

15.  Historical   Sketch  of  the   Seventh-day  Baptist  Home  and  Foreign 

Mission   Work. 

16.  Historical  Sketch  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  includ- 

ing   all    Seventh-day    Baptist    Publications    and    Sabbath 
Reform  Work. 

17.  Historical   Sketch   of  the   Seventh-day   Baptist  Education   Society, 

including     all      educational      work      among      Seventh-day 
Baptists. 

18.  Historical    Sketch    of    the    Sabbath    Evangelizing    and    Industrial 

Association. 

Acceptances  have  been  received  from  all  persons  whose  names 
appear  on  the  foregoing  programme.  The  plan  of  the  Committee  in 
preparing  this,  a  largely  historical  programme,  is  with  the  belief  that 
with  a  careful  review  of  the  past,  future  efforts  along  all  lines  of 
work  will  be  greatly  strengthened.  Our  young  people  know  but  little 
of  our  history,  rich  though  it  is,  and  a  history  which  is  highly  prized 
and  admired  by  those  who  are  conversant  with  it.  We  believe  this 
review  of  the  past  will  quicken  our  young  people  in  denominational 
pride  and  loyalty  as  nothing  else  will.  This  plan  will  also  accomplish 
another  thing  which  is  very  much  needed,  viz.,  preserve  permanently 
our  history  in  a  popular  and  convenient  form   for  general   use. 

Our  plan'  is  to  gather  up  the  history  of  all  lines  of  denominational 
work  from  the  date  of  organization  to  1902,  so  that  all  subsequent 
history  can  date  from  that  time.  The  papers  and  addresses  will  make 
a  valuable  historical  collection  and  furnish  data  of  inestimable  value 
to  future  historians.  They  will  be  highly  prized  by  the  coming 
generations. 

Every  society  and  board  has  been  invited  to  prepare  its  own  his- 
torical paper  and  present  it  during  its  day  or  hour  at  the  Conference. 

For  the  sake  of  the  record  it  is  desired  that  all  papers  be  carefully 
prepared  and  be  full  in  detail,  but  concise ;  and  where  papers  are  too 
long  for   a  public  presentation,   extracts   covering  the   more   important 


CHARLES  CLARENCE  CHIPMAX. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1361. 


GENERAL   CONFERENCE,    l802    TO    I9O2.  2S2^t 

features  can  be  selected  and  presented.     All  papers  and  addresses  will 
be  printed  in  full  in  the  minutes  of  the  Conference  for  that  year. 

HISTORICAL    SKETCHES   OF   THE   ASSOCIATIONS. 

The  Committee  desires  that  these  papers  be  historical  of  our 
people,  in  the  various  sections  covered  by  the  Associations,  along 
lines  of  education,  church  and  reform  work,  in  the  broad  sense,  and 
not  confined  to  the  exclusive  work  of  the  denomination.  Each  As- 
sociation is  rich  with  historical  facts  concerning  our  people,  and  his- 
torical events  in  which  Seventh-day  Baptists  have  been  engaged. 
Our  people  have  been  among  the  leaders  in  the  public  school  system, 
and  in  temperance  reform  movements.  Take  for  example  the  Sev- 
enth-day Baptist  influence  in  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island  and  later 
in  the  state.  The  Seventh-day  Baptists  cooperating  with  the  Baptists 
of  Rhode  Island  in  founding  Brown  University,  the  fact  that  the 
Charter  of  the  University  was  drawn  by  a  Seventh-day  Baptist,  Sam- 
uel Ward,  and  Seventh-day  Baptist  representation  on  the  Board  of 
Trustees  for  many  years  of  its  early  life,  are  facts  worthy  of  record, 
and  facts  of  which  every  Seventh-day  Baptist,  old  or  young,  should 
be  proud.  Similar  instances  of  Seventh-day  Baptist  influence  and 
worth  can  be  recorded  of  the  other  Associations. 

It  would  be  extremely  interesting  if  each  of  these  articles  should 
record  the  names  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  ministers  who  have  come 
"out  from  that  Association  together  with  the  name  of  the  church.  Con- 
verts to  the  Sabbath  should  be  indicated  by  star  or  otherwise. 

The  name  and  date  of  organization  of  each  church  established, 
and  where  churches  have  disbanded  or  become  extinct  the  date  they 
were  dropped  from  the  conference  should  be  given.  The  two  items, 
ministers  -and  churches,  could  be  handled  by  a  statistical  table  with 
economy  of  space   for  publication  and  convenience  for  reference. 

A  brief  mention  of  prominent  Seventh-day  Baptists  who  have  lived 
in  the  Association  and  who  were  actively  engaged  or  deeply  interested 
in  denominational  work  would  be  interesting.  For  example,  in  the 
Eastern  Association,  Thomas  B.  Stillman,  George  H.  Babcock,  Charles 
Potter,  Prof.  William  A.  Rogers,  Mrs.  Ann  Lyon.  In  the  Central 
Association,  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  Doctor  C.  D.  Potter,  Rev.  Eli 
S.  Bailey,  Deacon  Amos  R.  Wells,  Mrs.  Lucy  Carpenter.  In  the 
Western  Association,  President  William  C.  Kenyon,  Jonathan  Allen, 
Rev.  Thomas  B.  Brown,  Rev.  Nathan  V.  Hull,  Mrs.  Melissa  B. 
Ward  Kenyon. 

It  is  not  contemplated  by  the  Committee  that  the  papers  of  the 
Associations  will  be  read  at  the  Conference,  for  want  of  time,  interest- 
ing as  they  would  be,  but  that  they  will  be  presented  to  the  Conference 
for  adoption  and  publication. 

We  feel  confident  that  all  persons  selected  and  whose  names  arc 
placed   on    the   progrannno    will    coiipcrate    with    the  Committee  to  the 


233*  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

end  that  the  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  General  Conference  at 
Ashaway,  Rhode  Island,  August,  1902,  may  be  a  great  success,  and 
that  the-  minutes  of  the  session  will  be  the  most  valuable  collection 
of  historical  facts  that  have  ever  been  compiled  and  published  by  our 
people. 

For  and  in  behalf  of  the  Committee, 

Charles  C.  Chipman^  Chairman. 

220  Broadway,  Nezv  York,  Aug.  28,  1901. 

The  hand  of  death  had  claimed  President  William  C. 
Whitford  before  the  completion  of  his  paper,  and  Rev.  Wil- 
liam C.  Daland  reported  that  he  was  unable  to  write  the  paper 
assigned  to  him.  Arrangements  were  made  for  completing 
the  one,  and  for  writing  the  other  of  these  papers. 

A  committee  was  appointed  with  instructions  to  have 
printed  and  published  in  book  form  these  various  historical 
productions. 

What  hath  God  Wrought— ''In  the  World ;"  "In  the  Na- 
tion ;"  "In  us  personally ;"  "In  our  denomination ;"  "That  will 
make  us  fruitful ;"  and  "In  this  session  of  the  Conference ;" 
and  A  forivard  look,  were  subjects  of  early  morning  and  of 
two  evening  meetings. 

Other  subjects  of  discussion  or  of  addresses  were:  "Re- 
adjustment of  our  denominational  organization ;"  "What  the 
Sabbath  School  Board  is  doing;"  "What  the  Sabbath  School 
Board  hopes  to  do ;"  "Communion  and  Transformation ;" 
"True  courtesy;"  and  "The  future  for  women." 

The  resolutions  adopted  related  to  the  value  of  the  Chris- 
tian home ;  to  the  importance  of  the  Sabbath  school ;  to  the 
need  of  a  purer  press ;  to  the  evils  of  strong  drink  and  tobacco ; 
to  the  indebtedness  of  Conference  to  Mr.  Charles  C.  Chip- 
man  and  others  for  the  Centennial  programs;  and  to  the 
gratitude  due  to  the  President  of  Conference,  entertaining 
friends,  and  others,  for  efficient  labor  and  valued  help. 

This  survey  of  a  hundred  years  cannot  better  close  than 
with  the  first  resolution  from  the  report  of  the  Committee  on 
Resolutions  as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  this  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  Con- 
ference  is   an   occasion   for   profound   gratitude   and   sincere 


o    o, 
0\    o 


=:  -C    5 

o    ~    '- 

^  TO 


'-     ^   ^ 

o  i   •" 


u 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I9O2.        233/ 

thanksgiving  to  God  for  his  mercies,  and  for  the  good  measure 
of  success  that  has  attended  the  labors  of  our  people  during 
the  century.  For  enlarged  borders,  enlarged  opportunities, 
and  responsibilities,  and  a  widening  field,  we  render  humble 
and  hearty  thanks,  and  pledge  ourselves  to  renewed  consecra- 
tion and  faithfulness  to  all  our  varied  and  important  lines  of 
work. 

In  Concltision, 

This  paper,  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  one  now  gone, 
whose  interest  and  sympathy  were  inspiration  and  strength, 
and  who  herself  began  the  preparation  of  some  of  the  statisti- 
cal parts,  does  not  aim  to  be  a  history  of  individuals,  churches, 
or  the  denomination;  or  of  the  societies;  or  of  boards  and 
permanent  committees  of  the  Conference,  appointed  for 
special  and  continued  work  through  the  year.  But  the  pur- 
pose is  to  give  such  a  general  survey  or  outline  sketch  of  every 
meeting  of  Conference  as  will  help  the  reader  to  apprehend, 
fairly  well,  the  spirit  and  work  of  each  anniversary  that  was 
held,  and  put  him  in  the  way  of  further  study,  if  he  shall  so 
desire. 

The  Conference  Minutes  have  been,  in  the  nature  of  the 
case,  the  principal  source  of  information.  Many  things  are 
necessarily  omitted  that  would  have  been  of  interest;  and, 
quite  likely,  there  has  been  written  what  might  well  have  been 
left  out.  The  writer  has  received  pleasure  and  benefit  from 
the  study;  but  no  one  can  regret  the  imperfections  in  the  result 
more  deeply  than  himself. 

Denominational  statistics  have  not  been  reported,  in  the 
Minutes  of  Conference,  with  uniformity  of  method  and  com- 
pleteness ;  and  no  more  is  claimed  for  the  figures  given  here 
than  approximate  and  working  accuracy. 

The  helping  of  others  is  gratefully  acknowledged,  especially 
the  valuable  work  done  by  Prof.  Gamble. 

Our  denominational  fathers  made  mistakes,  as  we  our- 
selves have  done ;  nevertheless,  they  wrought  nobly  and  made 
a  grand  history,  one  that  ought  to  inspire  us  to  render  better 
service  than  we  have  ever  given  before. 


223^  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

OFFICERS  OF  CONFERENCE  AND  THE  SOCIETIES. 

1902. 

GENERAL    CONFERENCE. 

President — H.   M.   Maxson,   Plainfield,  N.  J. 
Corresponding  Secretary — Rev.  L.  A.   Platts,  Milton,  Wis. 
Treasurer— Rev.    W.    C.    Whitford,    Alfred,    N.    Y. 
Recording  Secretary — A.  W.  Vars,  Dnnellen,  N.  J. 

THE    SEVENTH-DAY     BAPTIST     MrsSIONARY     SOCIETY. 

Organized    in    1842'. 

President — William   L.    Clarke,   Westerly,   R.   I. 

Corresponding   Secretary — Rev.    Oscar   U.    Whitford,    Westerly,    R.    f. 

Recording  Secretary — Albert   S.   Babcock,  Rockville,  R.   L 

Treasurer — George  H.  Utter,  Westerly,  R.  I. 

Board  of  Managers — George  B.  Carpenter,  Ira  B.  Crandall,  Rev.  Samuel 
H.  Davis,  Joseph  H.  Potter,  Albert  L.  Chester,  Lewis  T.  Clawson, 
Rev.  Simeon  H.  Babcock,  Charles  H,  Stanton,  Rev.  Clayton  A, 
Burdick,  Sanford  P.  Stillman,  Charles  P.  Cottrell,  George  H. 
Greenman,  Rev.  Oliver  D.  Sherman,  Gideon  T.  Collins,  Benjamin 
P.  Langworthy  2d,  Albert  S.  Babcock,  George  T.  Collins,  PvCv. 
Lewis  F.  Randolph,  Rev.  Alexander  M'cLearn,  Eugene  F.  Still- 
man,  Rev.  Nathan  M.  Mills,  Paul  M.  Barber,  Rev.  Arthur  E. 
Main,  Elisha  C.  Stillman,  J.  Irving  Maxson,  Rev.  Ira  Lee  Cottrell, 
Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  Rev.  Lester 
C.  Randolph,  Irving  A.  Crandall,  David  E.  Titsworth,  Rev.  Jud- 
son  G.  Burdick,  Preston  F.  Randolph,  Rev.  William  L.  Burdick, 
Rev.  Seth  I.  Lee,  Rev.  Geo.  J.  Crandall. 

THE    AMERICAN     SABBATH    TRACT    SOCIETY. 

Organized  in  1843. 

President — J.  Frank  Hubbard,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Vice-Presidents — Stephen  Babcock,  David  E.  Titsworth,  Rev.  Leandcr 

E.  Livermore,  Rev.  Asa  B.   Prentice,  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main,  Rev. 

Edward    B.    Saunders,    Rev.    Samuel    D.    Davis,    Rev.    George    M. 

Cottrell. 
Corresponding  Secretary — Rev.  A.  Herbert  Lewis,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 
Treasurer — Frank  J.  Hubbard,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 
Recording  Secretary — Arthur  L.  Titsworth,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 
Assistant  Recording  Secretary — William  M.  Stillman,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 


IXri-.klOU   ()!■    IIRST    ilOl'KiX  TON'  ClirKCli.    .\l'    ASIIAW  .\\. 

i-;ii()i)i':  iSLAXi), 

:i.    I.iKiUiuii    low.inl  llir    Clioir     Loft. 

I>.    l.ookillL'    tou.'ll'll  llli)    I'ulpit. 


GENERAL    CONFERENCE,    l802    TO    I902.  233/ 

Directors — J.  Frank  Hubbard,  Stephen  Babcock,  David  E.  Titsworlh, 
Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore,  Rev.  Asa  B.  Prentice,  Rev.  Arthur 
E.  Main,  Rev.  Edward  B.  Saunders,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  Rev. 
George  M.  Cottrell,  Rev.  A.  Herbert  Lewis,  Frank  J.  Hubbard, 
Arthur  L.  Titsworth,  William  L.  Stillman,  J.  Denison  Spicer, 
Rev.  Frank  E.  Peterson,  Rev.  Stephen  Burdick,  Ira  J.  Ordway, 
Rev.  J.  Bennett  Clarke,  Charles  C.  Chipman,  Edgar  R.  Greene, 
Joseph  M.  Titsworth,  Henry  V.  Dunham,  Joseph  A.  Hubbard, 
Rev.  William  C.  Daland,  Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick,  William  C. 
Hubbard,  Frank  S.  Wells,  Rev.  Ira  Lee  Cottrell,  Rev.  Herman  D. 
Clarke,  Edwin  H.  Lewis,  Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford,  Edwin  Shaw, 
Corliss  F.  Randolph,  George  B.  Carpenter,  Henry  D.  Babcock, 
Henry  ]\I.  Alaxson,  Edgar  H.  Cottrell,  George  H.  Utter,  Rev. 
Lester  C.  Randolph,  Rev.  George  W.  Lewis,  Rev.  Theodore  L. 
Gardiner,  Frank  L.  Greene,  Alfred  A.  Titsworth,  Rev.  George 
B.  Shaw,  Alex.  W.  Vars,  Uberto  S.  Griffin,  George  W.  Post, 
Rev.  Martin  Sindall,  Sherman  E.  Ayers,  Orra  S.  Rogers,  Will 
H.  Crandall,  ]\Irs.  C.  D.  Potter,  Mrs.  H.  D.  Witter,  Mrs.  George 
H.    Babcock. 

SEVENTH-D.\Y    BAPTIST    EDUCATION    SOCIETY. 

Organized   in   1858. 

President — Edward   M.  Tomlinson,   Alfred,   N.  Y. 

Corresponding  Secretary — Rev.  William  L.  Burdick,  Independence, 
N.  Y. 

Recording   Secretary — Terrence    M.   Davis,   Alfred,    N.    Y. 

Treasurer — Alpheus  B.  Kenyon,  Alfred,  N.  Y. 

Vice-Presidents — Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore, 
Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  Rev.  Stephen  Burdick,  Albert  Whit- 
ford, Rev.  James  F.  Shaw,  Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis,  Rev.  J.  Bennett 
Clarke,  Rev.   William  C.   Daland. 

Directors — Elwood  E.  Hamilton,  George  H.  Utter,  David  E.  Titsworth, 
Henry  M.  Maxson,  Ira  B.  Crandall,  Rev.  W.  Calvin  Whitford, 
S.  Whitford  Maxson,  Rev.  Earl  P.  Saunders,  Jesse  F.  Randolph, 
Rev.   George  J.   Crandall. 

woman's    EXECUTIVE    BOARD. 

Organized  in    1884. 

President— ^hs.    S.  J.   Clarke,  Milton,   Wis. 

J^ice-Prcsidents — Mrs.  J.   B.  Morton,  Milton,  Wis. ;   Mrs.     G.  J.  Cran- 
dall, Milton  Junction,  Wis. 
Corresponding    Secretary — Mrs.    Albert    Whitford,    Milton,    Wis. 
Recording  Secretary — Mrs.   L.   A.   Platts,   Milton,  Wis. 
Editor   Woman's  Page — Mrs.  Henry  M.   Maxson,  Plainfield,   N.  J. 


233Wt  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

Associational  Secretaries — Mrs.  Anna  Randolph,  Plainfield,  N.  J. ; 
Miss  Elsie  Bond,  Salem,  W.  Va. ;  Miss  Cora  Williams,  New 
London,  N.  Y. ;  Miss  Agnes  L.  Rogers,  Belmont,  N.  Y. ;  Mrs. 
A.  H.  Booth,  Hammond,  La. ;  Mrs.  Nettie  West,  Milton  Junc- 
tion, Wis. 

SABBATH     SCHOOL     BOARD. 

Organized  in   1872. 

President — Rev.    George   B.    Shaw,    Plainfield,    N.   J. 

Recording   Secretary — Corliss    F.    Randolph,    Newark,    N.   J. 

Corresponding  Secretary — J.  B.  Cottrell,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Treasurer — Frank  L.   Greene,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Vice-Presidents— U.rs.  Henry  M.  Maxson,  Plainfield,  N.  J. ;  Rev.  L  L. 
Cottrell,  Hornellsville,  N.  Y.;  M.  H.  Van  Horn,  Salem,  W.  Va.; 
Rev.  L.  R.  Swinney,  DeRuyter,  N.  Y. ;  Rev.  H.  D.  Clarke,  Dodge 
Center,    Minn. ;    Mrs.    Elizabeth    A.    Fisher    Davis, 

YOUNG    people's     PERMANENT     COMMITTEE. 

Organized  in   1S99. 

President— Rev.  M.  B.  Kelly,  Milton,  Wis. 

Secretary — Miss  Mizpah  Sherburne,   Chicago,  111. 

Editor  of  Young  People's  Page — Rev.  L.  C.  Randolph,  Alfred,  N.  Y. 

Treasurer — J.  Dwight  Clarke,  Milton,  Wis. 

General  Junior  Superintendent — Mrs.  H.  M.  Maxson,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Associational  Secretaries — Roy  F.  Randolph,  New  Milton,  W.  Va. ; 
Miss  L.  Gertrude  Ctillman,  Ashaway,  R.  L ;  G.  W.  Davis,  Adams 
Centre,  N.  Y. ;  B.  Frank  Whitford,  Nile,  N.  Y. ;  Miss  Abbie  L 
Babcock,  Albion,  Wis. ;  Miss  Leona  Humiston,  Hammond,  La. 


CONFERENCE  STATISTICS. 

1 801. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  century,  and  with  Conference  yet 
incompletely  organized,  there  were  8  churches  in  fellowship, 
located  in  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  and  New 
Jersey,  and  having  a  membership  of  nearly  1,200. 

1811. 
Twelve  churches,  1,782  members. 

1821. 
Sixteen  churches,  2,547  members. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  l8o2  TO  I902.        233^ 
183I. 

Twenty-nine  churches,  3,793  members. 

1841. 
Fifty-two  churches,  5,432  members. 

1852. 

(No  meeting  in  1850  or  185 1.) 
Seventy  churches,  6,345  members. 

1861. 
Sixty-seven  churches,  6,700  members. 

1871. 
Eighty  churches,  7,750  members. 

1881. 
Ninety-three  churches,  8,720  members. 

1891. 

One  hundred  and  two  churches,  8,675  members. 

1901. 
Conference  begins  the  20th  century  with  a  hst  of   116 
churches,  reporting  a  membership  of  9,340. 


SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST 
MEMORIAL  FUND. 


DAVID  E.  TITSWORTH. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1361. 


THE   SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTIST 
MEMORIAL  FUND. 


David   E.  Titsworth. 


At  the  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Con- 
ference, held  at  Shiloh,  N.  J.,  in  1869,  President  William  C. 
Whitford,  of  Milton  College,  Milton,  Wis.,  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Conference  to  the  fact  tha*\;  'on  Dec.  21,  1871,  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  in  this  country  would  reach  its 
two  hundredth  birthday,  and  proposed  that  the  Conference  for 
that  year  hold  some  suitable  memorial  service.  Acting  upon 
this  suggestion  a  plan  for  these  services  was  matured  at  the 
session  of  the  Conference  held  at  Adams  Centre,  New  York, 
in  1871.  Soon  after  this  session  it  was  proposed  by  President 
Whitford,  of  Milton  College,  and  ably  seconded  by  President 
Jonathan  Allen,  of  Alfred,  through  the  Sabbath  Recorder,  that 
in  addition  to  the  memorial  services  our  people  should  com- 
memorate this  important  event  in  our  history  by  raising  a  Fund 
of  not  less  than  $100,000.00  for  the  endowment  of  our  Schools, 
and  for  aiding  our  Denominational  Societies  in  prosecuting 
their  respective  labors. 

This  proposition  met  with  the  hearty  approval  of  leading 
members  of  the  Denomination.  At  the  session  of  the  Easterh 
Association,  held  with  the  First  Church  of  Hopkinton,  at  Ash- 
away,   R.    I.,   in   June,    1872,   the   Committee    on    Education 


238  DENOMINATIONAL  BOARDS  : 

reported  a  plan  for  raising  a  "Memorial  Fund."  This  plan  was 
adopted  and  forwarded  by  the  delegates  to  the  other  Associa- 
tions, all  of  which  concurred  in  the  plan. 

In  the  interim  between  the  sessions  of  the  Associations  and 
the  meeting  of  the  General  Conference,  Rev.  Jonathan  Allen, 
Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams  and  President  William  C.  Whitford, 
acting  under  instructions  from  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Edu- 
cation Society,  made  an  extensive  canvass  of  the  churches  of 
the  denomination  and  received  more  than  one-half  of  the  sum 
named,  either  in  money,  notes,  or  some  other  form  of  obliga- 
tion. 

At  the  Conference  held  at  Southampton,  111.,  in  Sept.. 
1872,  the  following  plan,  which  had  been  previously  recom- 
mended by  the  Association,  was  adopted  unanimously  by  the 
General  Conference. 

Whereas,  the  five  Associations  of  our  denomination  have  adopted, 
v^rith  great  unanimity,  a  proposition  and  plan  for  raising  funds  for 
Educational  and  other  denominational  purposes ;  and  have  invited  this 
body  to  concur  with  them  in  their  action;  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  we  unite  with  our  Associations  in  the  adoption  of 
their  proposition  and  plan  as  follows :  This  being  the  Bi-centennial 
year  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  America,  it  should  be  remembered 
with  devout  thanksgiving  and  by  liberal  thank-offerings.  The  grati- 
tude of  the  heart  ever  seeks  expression  in  some  appropriate  outward 
act.  We  therefore  invite,  as  a  spontaneous  thank-offering  to  our  Heav- 
enly Father,  contributions  from  each  one,  as  God  has  prospered  him, 
to  be  so  appropriated  as  to  render  more  efficient,  in  the  centuries  to 
come,  those  institutions  and  agencies  to  which  we,  as  a  people,  as 
.well  as  the  whole  Christian  world,  are  so  deeply  indebted,  in  the  past 
and  present.  To  this  end,  the  General  Conference  concurs  with  the 
Associations  in  the  recommendations : 

1st.  That  a  Memorial  Fund  be  raised  of  at  least  one  hundred  thous- 
and dollars. 

2d.  That,  while  each  individual  be  allowed  full  freedom  in  deter- 
mining the  object  to  which  his  subscription  shall  be  devoted,  yet  we 
recommend  that  a  centennary  educational  fund  be  made  the  prominent 
object  of  those  contributions,  as  it  is,  of  all  the  objects  before  us,  most 
clearly  monumental  and  enduring,  as  to  its  methods  and  uses. 

3d.  All  funds  subscribed  directly  for  our  benevolent  societies,  or 
for  our  literary  institutions,  shall  be  passed  over  to  those  societies  or 
institutions,  as  the  donors  may  direct. 

4th.  All  funds  subscribed  to  the  Centennary  Educational  Fund,  as 
well  as  all  others  that  may  be  so  directed  by  the  donors,  shall  be  placed 
in  the  hands  of  a  Chartered  Board  of  Trustees.    These  funds  shall  be 


GEORGE  HERMON  BABCUCK. 
See    Biograplvcal    Sketches,    p.  1361. 


MEMORIAL  FUND.  239 

securely  invested  in  bonds  and  mortgages  on  real  estate  of  not  less 
than  twice  the  value  of  the  mortgages,  or  in  United  States,  State, 
County  or  City  bonds  or  other  equally  safe  securities ;  and  the  interest 
only  shall  be  used  for  the  specitied  purposes.  This  Chartered  Board 
of  Trustees  shall  consist  of  the  Treasurers  of  the  societies  and  insti- 
tutions which  may  share  in  the  benefit  of  the  fund  held  in  trust,  and 
nine  others,  to  be  elected  by  the  General  Conference.  These  shall  be 
divided  into  three  classes  of  three  each,  and  the  first  class  shall  hold 
their  office  for  one  year,  the  second  class  for  two  years,  and  the  third 
class  for  three  years,  the  vacancies  thus  annually  occurring  to  be  filled 
by  annual  elections. 

The  following  brethren  were  appointed  by  the  General  Con- 
ference as  the  first  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Memorial  Fund : 

FOR  OXE  YEAR.       . 

Thomas  S.  Greenman,  Mystic,  Conn. 

Clark  Rogers,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  New  Market,  N.  J. 

FOR  TWO  YEARS. 

Charles  Potter,  Jr.,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 
Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  New  Market,  N.  J. 
Geo.  H.  Babcock,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

FOR  THREE  YEARS. 

Rev.  Darwin  E.  Maxson,  D.  D.,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Calvert  C.  Cottrell,  Westerly,  R.  I. 

EHas  R.  Pope,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

This  Board  was  instructed  by  the  General  Conference  "to 
organize  and  become  incorporated  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey 
at  its  earliest  convenience." 

The  authorit}-  for  the  original  canvass  for  funds,  before 
referred  to,  is  found  in  the  following  report  made  to  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  by  the  Executive  Board  of  the  Education  Soci- 
ety, which  contains  the  general  plan  of  the  canvass  and  the  form 
of  notes  and  receipts  used : 

The  Executive  Board  of  the  Education  Society  would  respectfully 
submit  to  the  General  Conference,  through  their  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary, the  following  report : 

The  Board  was  recommended  by  the  several  Associations,  at  their 
last  annual  sessions,  to  employ  two  or  more  agents  to  secure  subscrip- 
tions for  as  much  of  the  proposed  Memorial  Fund,  before  the  Bi- 
centennial Meeting,  as  possible. 


240  DENOMINATIONAL  BOARDS  : 

In  conformity  with  the  above  recommendation,  the  Executive  Board 
of  the  Education  Society  appointed  J.  Allen,  W.  C.  Whitford  and  T.  R. 
Williams,  General  Agents,  vi^ith  George  Greenman,  J.  B.  Clarke,  A.  R. 
Cornwall,  and  Preston  F.  Randolph,  as  Associate  Agents  for  the  East- 
ern, Central,  North-Western  and  South-Eastern  Associations. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted  by  the  Board : 

"Resolved,  That  these  agents  shall  receive  paj'  for  their  services 
upon  the  audit  of  the  Board  of  Trust,  to  be  drawn  from  the  several 
organizations  benefitted,  in  the  ratio  of  the  benefit  received  by  each,  at 
the  rate  of  eight  hundred  dollars  a  j-ear  and  expenses,  for  the  time 
actually  employed  in  this  service." 

The  following  was  adopted  as  the  form  of  the  subscription  notes : 

I  do  hereby  obligate  myself,  my  heirs  and  assigns,  to  pay  to  the 
Treasurer  of within  —  years  from  date,  the  sum  of dol- 
lars, with  annual  interest,  payable  on  the  first  day  of  September  of  each 
year. 

"The  avails  of  this  subscription  shall  be  accounted  a  part  of  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial  Fund,  and  shall  be  appropriated  as  fol- 
lows :  ■ . 

"[This  subscription  is  made  with  the  understanding  and  agreement, 
on  the  part  of  the  maker,  that  in  case  the  object  of  the  subscription 
herein  named  shall  ever,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Chartered  Board  of 
Trustees,  fail,  the  sum  obtained  from  it  shall  pass  entirely  under  the 
control  of  said  Board,  and  the  income  from  said  sum  shall  be  applied 
to  promote  such  objects,  connected  with  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  denom- 
ination, as  they  may  deem  most  closely  allied  to  the  object  named 
herein.] 

"Received   from  ,  —  dollars,  to  be  accounted  for  as  a  part 

of  the   Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial   Fund,  and   applied  as  follows : 


"[It  is  understood  and  agreed,  by  the  person  paying  as  above,  that 
in  case  the  object  named  in  this  receipt  shall  ever,  in  the  judgment  of 
the  Chartered  Board  of  Trustees,  fail,  the  sum  shall  pass  under  the 
entire  control  of  said  Board,  and  be  applied  to  promote  such  objects 
connected  with  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  denomination  as  they  may  deem 
most  closely  allied  to  the  object  named  herein.] 

,  Agent." 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Board  was  held  at  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  parsonage,  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  on  Oct.  27,  1872, 
seven  members  being  present.  The  Board  was  temporarily 
organized  by  the  election  of  the  following  named  ofiicers : 

President,  Charles  Potter,  Jr.,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Secretary,  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  New  Market,  X.  J. 

Treasurer,  Elias  R.  Pope,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

(IS) 


MEMORIAL  FUND.  24I 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  secure  a  charter  from  the 
State  of  New  Jersey. 

It  was  voted  to  accept  the  work  already  done  by  the  Rev- 
erend Messrs.  Jonathan  Allen,  Thomas  R.  Williams  and  Wil- 
liam C.  Whitford,  and  to  appoint  them  to  complete  the  can- 
vass of  the  denomination. 

At  a  meeting  held  on  June  15,  1873,  the  following  charter 
granted  under  the  Laws  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey  was  pre- 
sented and  accepted  by  the  Board  of  Trustees : 

ACT   OF   INCORPORATION. 

An  Act  to  incorporate  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Seventh-day 

Baptist  Memorial  Fund,  of  Plainfield. 

(i)  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
New  Jersej%  that  Darwin  E.  Maxson,  Calvert  B.  Cottrell,  Elias  R. 
Pope,  Charles  Potter,  Junior,  Lewis  A.  Platts,  George  H.  Babcock, 
Thomas  S.  Greenman,  Clark  Rogers,  Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  and  their 
successors  are  hereby  ordained  and  declared  a  body  corporate  and 
politic  in  fact  and  in  law,  by  the  name  of  "The  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  INIemorial  Fund,"  and  by  that  name  shall 
have  perpetual  succession  and  shall  be  capable  of  purchasing,  hold- 
ing and  conveying  any  lands,  tenements,  hereditaments,  goods  and 
chattels,  necessary  or  proper  for  the  objects  of  the  corporation. 

(2)  And  be  it  enacted.  That  the  above  named  persons  or  a  majority 
of  them  shall  be  the  first  Board,  and  shall  be  divided  or  allotted  into 
three  equal  classes,  as  follows :  One  class  of  which  shall  hold  office 
for  three  years ;  one  class  for  two  years ;  and  one  class  for  one  year 
(or  until  their  successors  are  elected,  by  the  General  Conference 
of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  denomination  at  the  regular  annual 
meeting  thereof),  and  said  Board  of  Trustees  shall  make  annual 
report  of  the  proceedings  to  said  Conference. 

(3)  And  be  it  enacted.  That  the  Business  of  said  Board  of  Trustees 
shall  be  to  hold  in  trust  the  Memorial  Fund  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist denomination,  and  to  expend  the  principal  or  interest  accruing 
therefrom  in  accordance  with  the  object  for  which  the  Fund  is 
raised;  and  in  pursuance  of  this  object  shall  have  power  to  hold  real 
estate  by  purchase,  by  bequest,  by  will  or  otherwise,  and  to  have 
power  to  make  good  and  legal  title  and  conveyance  in  law  for 
same;  they  shall  sue  and  be  sued,  and  make  and  use  a  corporate 
seal  and  alter  the  same  at  pleasure. 

(4)  And  be  it  enacted.  That  the  said  Trustees  shall  have  power  to  fill 
all  vacancies  that  may  occur  in  their  Board,  except  by  expiration  of 
term  of  office,  to  make  all  by-laws,  rules  and  regulations  necessary 
for  the  government  of  their  members,  and  as  may  be  necessary  for 
carrying  out  the  object  of  said  corporation. 


242  DENOMINATIONAL  BOARDS  : 

(5)  And  be  it  enacted,  That  a  majority  of  said  Board  shall  reside  in 
the  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  five  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for 
the  transaction  of  business. 

(6)  And  be  it  enacted.  That  the  treasurers  of  the  several  societies  and 
institutions  which  may  receive  benefits  arising  from  this  Fund, 
shall  be  ex-officio  members  of  the  Board  and  be  entitled  to  par- 
ticipate in  its  deliberations,  but  not  to  vote  upon  questions  affect- 
ing the  investment  of  the  Fund,  or  the  disposition  of  the  interest 
accruing  therefrom. 

(7)  And  be  it  enacted,  That  the  said  trust  board  shall  invest  no  money 
in  any  public  stocks,  other  than  such  as  are  created  under  the  laws 
of  the  United  States,  or  the  States  of  New  Jersey,  New  York, 
Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  Wisconsin,  Kansas,  Minnesota,  Vir- 
ginia, Illinois,  or  Iowa,  and  stock  and  bonds  of  the  different  cities 
and  counties  in  the  states  above  mentioned  or  such  other  bonds  or 
stocks  as  the  Board  of  Trustees  should  deem  expedient. 

(8)  And  be  it  enacted.  That  the  annual  meeting  of  this  Board  for  the 
election  of  a  president,  secretary  and  treasurer  or  such  other  officers 
as  may  be  necessary  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  be 
held  in  October  of  each  year. 

(9)  And  be  it  enacted.  That  this  act  shall  be  deemed  a  public  act  and 
take  effect  immediately. 

Approved  March  21,  1873. 

The  officers  who  had  been  elected  temporarily  were  then 
duly  elected  as  the  officers  of  the  Incorporated  Board,  and  the 
classffication  of  Trustees  with  respect  to  their  terms  of  office 
was  made  the  same  as  that  made  by  the  Conference  in  appoint- 
ing them.  The  canvassing  agents  were  reappointed  and  the 
Board  entered  formally  upon  its  work. 

The  original  Fund,  known  as  the  Bi-Centennial  Education 
Fund,  included  sundry  subscriptions  made  by  individuals  direct 
to  the  several  schools,  which  subscriptions  were  by  agreement 
to  be  considered  as  part  of  the  Bi-Centennial  Fund,  although 
the  moneys  never  entered  into  the  accounts  of  nor  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Memorial  Fund. 

Quite  a  portion  of  the  original  subscriptions  are  still 
unpaid,  owing  to  the  changed  circumstances  of  the  donors  mak- 
ing it  impossible  for  them  to  meet  the  obligations.  Since  the 
founding  of  the  Fund  there  have  been  a  number  of  gifts  and 
bequests  which  have  largely  increased  the  Fund. 

During  the  29  years  of  the  existence  of  the  Fund  the  fol- 
lowing brethren  have  served  as  Trustees : 

Thomas   S.   Green,  Clark  Rogers,   Isaac    D.    Titsworth, 


MEMORIAL  FUND.  243 

Charles  Potter,  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  George  H.  Babcock, 
Rev.  Darwin  E.  Maxson,  Calvert  B.  Cottrell,  Elias  R.  Pope, 
Joseph  A.  Hubbard,  J.  Frank  Hubbard,  Rev.  Leander  E.  Liv- 
ermore,  Rudolph  M.  Titsv/orth,  George  B.  Utter,  Joseph  M. 
Tits  worth,  Henry  V.  Dunham,  William  M.  Stillman,  David  E. 
Titsworth,  Joseph  Denison  Spicer,  Clark  T.  Rogers,  and  Henry 
M.  Maxson.  Of  these  ii  are  living  and  lo  have  gone  to  their 
reward.  But  one  member  of  the  original  Board  is  now  living, 
the  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  D.  D.,  the  field  secretary. 

The  officers  of  the  Board  have  been  as  follows : 
Presidents, 

Charles  Potter,  1872- 1899. 
(Died  Dec.  2,  1899). 

J.  Frank  Hubbard,  1900- 
\'ice-Presidents, 

J.  Frank  Hubbard,  1898- 1900. 

Joseph  M.  Titsworth,  1900- 
Secretaries, 

Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  D.  D.,  1873-1877. 

Rev.  Darwin  E:  Maxson,  D.  D.,  1877-1879. 
(Died  Feb.  22,  1895). 

Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore,  1879-1883. 

J.  Frank  Hubbard,  1883-1888;  1890-1896. 

Henry  V.  Dunham,  1888- 1890. 

David  E.  Titsworth,  1896- 
Treasurers, 

Elias  R.  Pope,  1873-1896. 
(Died  Aug.  10,  1896). 

Joseph  A.  Hubbard,  1896- 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  two  officers  served  the  Fund  from 
its  foundation  until  they  were  called  to  higher  service  and 
richer  rewards  in  the  Life  Eternal.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that 
Brother  Elias  R.  Pope  handled  the  finances  of  the  Fund  for  23 
years  without  pay  and  in  all  that  time  he  was  not  absent  from 
a  meeting  of  the  Board,  excepting  the  one  held  on  Aug.  9, 
1896,  the  day  before  his  death. 

The  Geo.  H.  Babcock  Bequest  of  $200,000.00  so  largely 
increased  the  Fund  and  added  so  much  to  the  care  of  moneys 
and  investments  that  a  salarv  was  fixed  for  the  Treasurer. 


244  DENOMINATIONAL  BOARDS  : 

Aside  from  this  the  labor  of  the  other  Trustees  has  always  been 
a  voluntary  service,  a  service  of  large  responsibility  and  some- 
times of  great  anxiety,  yet  cheerfully  borne  for  the  cause  for 
which  they  stand. 

The  endowments  confided  from  time  to  time  to  the  care  of 
the  trustees  of  this  fund  now  amount  to  $412,063.21,  as  shown 
by  the  list  appended  below. 

During  the  existence  of  the  Fund  our  Schools  and  pub- 
lishing interests  have  been  largely  helped  by  the  income  from 
the  Fund,  and  it  has  been  said  by  two  of  our  college  presidents 
that  this  Fund  has  kept  their  institutions  alive,  and  thus  those 
who  by  sacrifice  and  self-denial  have  given  to  the  Master,  and 
those,  who  from  their  abundance  have  poured  riches  into  His 
treasury,  have  united  in  founding  that  which  shall  go  on  long  " 
after  they  have  ceased  to  live,  bringing  blessing  to  many  and 
great  honor  to  the  cause  of  Him  in  whose  name  the  gifts  were 
made. 

SUMMARY  OF  ENDOWMENT  FUNDS,  AUGUST  6,  1902. 

Plainfield  Chair  of  Doctrinal  Theology $    9,767  01 

Babcock   Chair   of   Physics ' 22,030  15 

Chair  of  Greek  Language  and  Literature i. 000  00 

Chair  of  Church  History  and  Homiletics 6,665  00 

Chair  of  Pastoral  Theology 5°  00 

Alfred    University    212  50 

Missionary    Society    1,469  47 

Charles  Potter  Chair  of  History  and  Political  Science 28,931  44 

Milton    College    22,602  00 

David  P.  Rogers  Fund  for  Milton  College 2,567  66 

American  Sabbath  Tract  Society 1,115  22 

Bi-Centennial    Education    Fund 6,66398 

Delos   C.   Burdick  Bequest 10.293  12 

Delos   C.    Burdick   Farm,   243   acres 

Young  men  preparing  for  ministry,  10  acres  land 

George    H.    Babcock    Bequest 289,690  24 

OFFICERS   AND    MEMBERS   OF   THE   BOARD,    I902  : 

J.  Frank  Hubbard,  President. 
Joseph  M.  Titsworth,  Vice-President. 
Joseph  A.  Hubbard,  Treasurer. 
David  E.  Titsworth,  Secretary. 
Henry  V.   Dunham. 
Joseph  D.  Spicer. 


MEMORIAL  FUND.  245 

William  M.  Stillman. 

Clark  T.  Rogers. 

Henry  M.  Maxson. 
Ex-Officio  Members: 

Will  H.  Crandall,  Treas.  Alfred  University. 

Albert  Whitford,  Treas.  Milton  College. 

George  H.  Utter,  Treas.  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary 
Society. 

Frank  J.  Hubbard,  Treas.  American  Sabbath  Tract  Soci- 
etv. 


THE  WOMAN'S  BOARD. 


MRS.    EMMA   TEFFT    PLATTS. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


THE  WOMAN'S  BOARD. 


Emma  Tefft  Platts. 


So  far  as  can  be  learned  from  the  earliest  records,  the  first 
person  upon  this  continent  to  begin  the  observance  of  the  Bible 
Sabbath,  ]\Iarch  ii,  1671,  was  a  woman.  Tacy  Hubbard,  wife 
of  Samuel  Hubbard,  who  commenced  its  observance  a  little 
later.  The  two  became  prominent  members  of  the  first  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  Church  of  Newport,  but  before  their  separation 
from  the  First-day  Baptist  Church,  when  they,  with  several 
others,  were  called  to  account  for  absenting  themselves  from 
the  "breaking  of  bread,"  it  was  Tacy  Hubbard,  who,  before  the 
stern  assemblage,  "gave  in  the  grounds,"  numbered  consecu- 
tively I,  2  and  3,  with  great  clearness  and  force.  Among  the 
forefathers  of  our  people,  men  of  sterling  worth,  intellectually 
and  spiritually,  eminently  fitted  to  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder, 
as  they  did,  with  Roger  Williams,  in  the  maintenance  of  relig- 
ious liberty,  let  this  pre-eminent  foremother  retain  her  first 
place — ever  first,  down  through  the  generations  of  loyal  suc- 
cessors, in  reverence  and  afifection. 

Since  that  auspicious  beginning,  the  women  of  our  denom- 
ination have  never  ceased  to  stand  fearlessly  for  their  con- 
scientious convictions  of  right  and  righteousness,  and  side  by 

side  with  their  brothers,  to  work  valiantlv  and  cfficicntlv  for  all 


250  DENOMINATIONAL  BOARDS: 

that  has  made  for  the  strengthening  and  enlargement  of  the 
interests  of  our  people. 

In  the  first  company  of  missionaries  to  China,  it  was  the 
gifted  pen  of  Airs.  Lucy  Clarke  Carpenter,  pointed  with  the 
devotion  of  a  pure,  lofty,  consecrated  spirit,  which  touched 
the  entire  denomination  with  a  thrill  of  missionary  ardor  which 
has  never  been,  and,  we  trust,  never  will  be,  lost. 

Mrs.  Ann  Lyon,  in  her  grief  at  the  loss  of  her  talented, 
only  son,  made  the  first  large  gift  to  Alfred  University,  in  the 
establishment  of  the  Industrial  Mechanics  Department  as  his 
memorial.  Other  and  larger  benefactions  have  since  been 
received ;  hers  led  the  way. 

Outwardly,  Milton  College  was  founded  by  Joseph  Good- 
rich ;  the  real,  true  foundation  was  laid  in  the  prayers  of  the 
saintly  woman,  his  wife,  Nancy  Goodrich,  of  blessed  memory, 
whose  devout  spirit  is  preserved  in  the  institution  to  this  day. 

In  later  years,  a  desire  has  been  growing  in  the  minds  of 
many  of  the  most  active  and  progressive  of  our  women  that  we, 
like  the  women  of  other  denominations,  might  be  organized, 
especially  for  missionary  work ;  that  we,  too,  might  have  our 
Woman's  Board, — believing  that  by  this  means  we  would  be 
more  universally  enlisted  in  the  work  being  carried  on  by  our 
people  at  large. 

This  thought  had  entered  into  conversation  and  corre- 
spondence among  the  women  of  the  denomination.  Early  in 
the  session  of  Conference  at  Lost  Creek,  W.  Va.,  1884,  Mrs. 
A.  K.  Witter,  who  had  been  very  much  interested  in  the 
movement,  spoke  upon  the  subject,  and  an  informal  meeting 
of  the  women  in  attendance  was  called. 

Previous  to  this  session  thus  called  for,  that  there  might 
be  something  definite  upon  which  the  meeting  should  take 
action,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  A.  Platts,  then  Secretaries  of  the  Con- 
ference, drew  up  a  very  simple  plan  for  the  organization  of 
such  a  Board.  This  was  approved  by  the  meeting,  which  was 
fully  attended  by  both  ladies  and  gentlement,  and  was  presented 
by  Miss  Mary  F.  Bailey,  Secretary  of  the  meeting,  to  the  Con- 
ference, which  adopted  the  plan  and  referred  the  nomination 
of  the  contemplated  Board  to  its  own  regular  Committee  on 
Nominations.  This  plan,  with  some  slight  modifications  as  to 
the  officering,  has  remained  the  working  plan  of  the  Board 


WOMAN  S  BOARD.  25  I 

in  its   relations  to  the   Conference  during    the    past    twenty 
years. 

Since  its  organization  the  Woman's  Board  has  been  cour- 
teously and  cordially  recognized  by  similar  bodies,  and  has  been 
ably  represented  in  International  and  World  Conferences  by 
such  delegates  as  Miss  Bailey,  Dr.  P.  J.  B.  Wait,  Mrs.  George 
H.  Babcock,  and  others. 

LOCATION. 

The  Board  was  located  for  the  first  two  years  at  Alfred, 
during  which  time,  as  stated  in  its  first  Report  to  Conference, 
1885,  the  efifort  made  was  pricipally  to  secure  the  co-operation 
of  existing  Ladies'  Societies,  the  organization  of  such  Societies 
in  all  churches  where  they  did  not  already  exist,  and  to  make  of 
these  Societies  strong  radiating  centers  for  the  work  of  the 
Master  in  the  home  churches  and  outward  throughout  the 
denomination.  The  first  Report  showed  a  creditable  amount 
of  work  accomplished  and  several  new  Societies  organized. 
During  the  second  year  it  became  more  apparent  that  the  rul- 
ing spirit  of  the  movement  represented  in  the  founding  of  the 
Board  was  Miss  Bailey,  of  the  Northwest;  that  she  was  priv- 
ileged with  rare  opportunities  for  observing  the  workings  of 
similar  organizations  in  other  denominations,  and  that  her 
native  abilities  and  force  of  character  developing  powerfully 
through  this  channel,  were  making  of  her  the  natural  leader 
of  our  body  of  women.  Accordingly,  an  urgent  request  was 
forwarded  to  the  Conference  at  Milton  that  the  Board  might 
be  located  there,  with  ]\Iiss  Bailey  as  Corresponding  Secretary. 
This  was  done  by  the  Nominating  Committee,  and  for  eighteen 
years  Milton  ladies  have  done  the  work  of  the  Board;  Miss 
Bailey  filling  the  position  of  Corresponding  Secretary  with 
extraordinary  ability  until  a  few  months  before  her  death  in 
the  spring  of  1893. 

RECORDER    WORK. 

About  the  tink  of  the  removal  to  Milton  the  Tract  Society 
was  publishing  that  bright  little  paper.  The  Light  of  Home, 
and  the  Woman's  Board  procured  for  it  large  lists  of  names, 
and  addressed  them  for  mailing,  relieving  the  Society  of  con- 
siderable expense  and  much  routine  work.  Miss  Bailey  also 
became  connected  with  it  editorially,  having  charge  of  the 
Home  Department.     Ihis  little  paper  was  discontinued  after 


252  DENOMINATIONAL  BOARDS: 

a  time,  but  during  the  spring  of  '88  a  Department  of  Woman's 
Work  was  opened  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder,  occupying  about 
one  page  of  that  paper.  This  was  very  ably  conducted  by  Miss 
Bailey,  chiefly  along  missionary  lines,  her  fertile  pen  furnish- 
ing most  of  the  material  for  the  page,  and  her  own  personal 
enthusiasm  arousing  general  interest  and  zeal.  After  her  death, 
the  Board  appointed  as  its  editor  of  the  page,  Mrs.  Rebecca 
Titsworth  Rogers,  who  greatly  endeared  herself  to  our  women 
by  her  gentle,  loving  fidelity.  After  seven  years  of  faithful 
service,  failing  health  compelled  her  to  relinquish  the  work,  in 
which,  like  her  predecessor,  notwithstanding  its  exactions,  she 
had  taken  great  pleasure.  The  Board  was  again  fortunate  in 
securing  the  present  incumbent,  Mrs.  Henry  M.  Maxson,  who, 
joining  culture  and  refinement  to  a  broad  view-point,  continues 
to  hold  firmly  this  silken  cord  that  binds  us  more  closely 
together  and  keeps  Societies,  isolated  Sabbath-keeping  women 
and  all  in  touch  with  each  other. 

MISSIONARY  TO  SHANGHAI. 

The  pressing  need  upon  the  China  field  for  a  lady  to  have 
sole  charge  of  the  girl's  school  work  appealed  strongly  to  our 
women,  and  Miss  Bailey  opened  correspondence  upon  the  sub- 
ject with  Miss  Susie  Burdick,  of  Alfred.  Under  date  of  Jan. 
21,  1888,  J\Iiss  Burdick,  then  at  Wellesley  College,  writes:  "If 
it  is  the  work  for  me  I  am  sure  that  I  shall  do  it  gladly,  joy- 
fully." In  November  of  the  same  year  she  committed  herself 
fully  to  that  work.  Carefully  defined  agreements  had  been 
made  between  the  Woman's  Board  and  the  IMissionary  Board 
relative  to  their  mutual  relations  and  obligations  in  sending 
out  missionaries,  and  in  February,  '89,  the  Missionary  Board 
duly  appointed  Miss  Burdick  to  the  China  field  as  teacher  of 
the  girl's  school,  the  women  of  the  denomination,  through  the 
Woman's  Board,  becoming  responsible  for  her  support.  At 
the  Annual  Session  of  the  Missionary  Society  at  the  Second 
Alfred  Church,  in  August,  '89,  in  a  tender  farewell  service. 
Miss  Burdick  was  consecrated  to  the  foreign  missionary  work, 
leaving  the  home  land  for  her  field  of  labor  in  November  of 
that  year.  Since  then  she  has  been  the  successful  and  beloved 
missionary  of  all  our  people,  though  we  women  claim  her  as 
belonging,  in  a  very  near  and  dear  sense,  to  us. 


MRS.    IIAKRII-.T    Iv    ( SAL'XDl'.RS )    CLARKF.. 
See    Jiiui^rapliiciil    Skctihcs,  p.    1361. 


WOMAN  S  BOARD.  253 

FOREIGN  AND   HOME   MISSION  BOXES. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  Board,  regular  systematized  cor- 
respondence was  taken  up  with  our  China  missionaries.  This 
led  to  the  wish  to  do  something  practical  in  their  work,  and 
this  to  the  sending  of  what  was  called  the  Christmas  Box, 
including  articles  for  the  missionaries  themselves,  and  such 
things  as  might  be  useful  to  them,  for  others,  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  their  work.  Miss  Sarah  Velthuysen,  of  Haarlem,  Hol- 
land, has  been  remembered  in  the  same  way.  Acknowledg- 
ment of  the  good  cheer  and  practical  help  thus  received  natur- 
ally turned  the  eyes  of  our  women  toward  the  Home  Mission 
fields,  where  occasional  work  of  that  kind  had  been  done  and 
where  it  would  be  equally  as  beneficent  as  upon  the  foreign 
field.  Accordingly,  boxes,  or  Christmas  gifts  of  money,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Board,  have  been  sent  to  different  points, 
by  different  Societies,  changing  about  from  year  to  year,  and 
in  the  year  1890  aggregating  in  value  on  the  home  field  over 
one  thousand  dollars.  In  carrying  forward  this  work,  mention 
should  be  made  of  the  following  ladies  who  have  been  especially 
helpful:  Mrs.  O.  U.  Whitford,  \\^esterly,  R.  T. :  Mrs.  I.  A. 
Crandall.  Lconardsville,  N.  Y. ;  and  Dr.  P.  J.  B.  Wait,  Xcw 
York  City. 

rilAXK-OFFERING   BOXES. 

For  several  years,  thank-offering  boxes  were  distributed 
by  the  Board  and  used  with  much  spiritual  profit  to  the  indi- 
vidual worker  and  also  with  material  benefit  to  the  treasury 
of  the  Board.  They  have  gradually  fallen  into  disuse  since 
their  novelty  has  worn  away,  but  the  box-openings  held  regu- 
larly in  many  Societies  were  occasions  of  special  interest,  and 
the  rich  experience  gained  in  their  use  must  have  led  to  a  more 
conscientious  laying  aside  of  means  for  the  work  of  the  A  faster. 

NATIVE    HELPER.S. 

Our  women  have  always  been  (lcci)ly  interested  in  the 
Medical  Mission,  at  Shanghai,  and  contributed  from  the  first 
to  the  support  of  Dr.  Swinney.  Her  work  increased  upon  her 
hands,  until  she  was  carrying  a  burden  of  labor  almost  super- 
human ;  and  a  request  to  send  her  a  nurse  for  hospital  work 
bore  heavily  upon  all  hearts.  Under  the  urgency  of  this  call 
Miss  Rosa  Palmborg  was  impelled  to  offer  herself  with   the 


254  DENOMINATIONAL  BOARDS: 

understanding  that  she  be  given  time  to  take  the  training  neces- 
sary to  fit  herself  for  the  position.  She  finally  took  a  full  course 
of  medical  study,  and  so  qualified  herself  not  only  to  be  the 
helper  of  Dr.  Swinney,  but  to  take  her  place,  which  she  is  doing 
so  nobly  at  the  present  time.  The  Woman's  Board  wished  her 
to  go  out  for  them,  but  the  Young  People,  through  their  Per- 
manent Committee,  insisted  that  she  be  considered  their  charge 
and  special  representative  on  the  foreign  field,  and  our  Board 
yielded. 

Early  in  '91,  two  native  Chinese  women  of  marked  ability 
and  experience  gave  themselves  unreservedly  to  the  help  of 
Dr.  Swinney.  These  were  Lucy  Tong  and  Mrs.  Ng,  the  sister 
of  Erlow.  These  two  women  had  been  accustomed  to  receive 
high  wages  as  amahs,  or  nurses,  in  the  families  of  foreigners. 
As  helpers  and  Bible  women,  they  wished  to  receive  a  compara- 
tively slight  remuneration,  that  their  influence  with  their  coun- 
trywomen might  not  be  lessened  through  the  imputation  of  any 
mercenary  motive.  The  payment  of  the  salary  of  these  two 
women  has  been  joyfully  met  by  the  Woman's  Board,  year  by 
year.  Others  now  take  the  place  of  Mrs.  Ng,  who  is  incapac- 
itated for  active  service  by  partial  paralysis.  Living  near  Dr. 
Palmborg's  new  station,  she  is  regarded  by  her  as  a  dear 
friend  and  counsellor. 

EDUCATION    FUND. 

The  young  women  among  our  people  -who  are  dependent 
upon  their  own  resources  in  obtaining  an  education  are  com- 
pelled to  surmount  greater  difficulties  than  our  young  men,  for 
reasons  which  are  evident.  The  time  required  for  a  young 
w^oman  to  complete  a  course  of  study  in  either  of  our  schools, 
when  she  must  needs  earn  her  own  means,  is  so  great  as 
many  times  to  discourage  to  the  extent  of  the  abandonment 
of  the  purpose.  This  is  particularly  true  of  the  Northwest, 
where  the  location  of  the  Board  has  given  abundant  occasion 
for  observation.  Four  years  ago,  in  1897  and  1898,  the  Board 
asked  for  contributions  to  a  fund  for  the  assistance  of  such  per- 
sons in  paying  tuition  in  each  of  our  schools,  and  has  continued 
this  line  of  \vork  since  that  time. 

The  sums  raised  for  this  purpose  have  not  been  large,  but 
by  this  means  many  most  worthy  young  ladies  have  been  ena- 
bled to  begin  and  to  remain  in  school  who  must  otherwise 


WOMAN  S  BOARD.  255 

have  been  compelled  to  prolong-  indefinitely  their  school  course, 
if  not  to  drop  out  of  it  altogether.  Pres.  Whitford,  who  was 
always  on  the  alert  for  occasions  to  inspire,  encourage  and  help 
students,  told  the  writer  that,  during  a  certain  recent  term, 
sixteen  young  women  in  Milton  College,  some  of  them  our 
very  best  students,  and  who  must  be  helped  in  this  way  if  they 
remained  in  school,  were  being  assisted.  We  strongly  com- 
mend this  line  of  work  to  all  our  women. 

FINANCES  OF  THE  BOARD. 

Despite  the  difficulty  experienced  from  the  beginning,  of 
securing  the  entire  co-operation  of  our  Ladies'  Societies,  and 
the  fact  that  personal  gifts  from  many  of  our  women  are  not 
made  through  our  treasury,  the  financial  showing  of  the  Board 
for  the  twenty  years  of  its  existence  has  been,  we  are  pro- 
foundl}-  confident,  far  beyond  what  would  have  been  done  by 
our  women  Avithout  this  organized  agency.  It  has  united  our 
forces,  directed  in  our  planning  and  given  a  new  and  power- 
ful impetus  to  our  efforts.  For  the  first  few  years,  while  organ- 
ization was  necessarily  incomplete,  estimates  of  value  and 
actual  money  expended  were  not  carefully  kept  distinct. 
Including  these  estimates,  the  amount  raised  by  our  women 
aggregates  $53,877.45,  while  the  amount  of  money  passed 
through  our  treasury,  beginning  with  the  report  in  1887,  is 
$39,869.71. 

The  general  fund  of  our  denominational  societies  has 
received  regular  unappropriated  contributions,  and  many  spe- 
cial sums  have  been  raised,  such  as  $1,000  to  increase  Dr. 
Swinney's  dispensary  facilities,  the  sum  necessary  for  her 
return  to  the  home  land  for  rest,  outfits  for  missionaries,  a  fund 
of  over  $1,100  to  the  teacher  for  the  Boys'  School,  $1,000 
to  diminish  the  debt  of  the  Missionary  Society,  vari- 
ous amounts  to  send  Recorders  to  lone  Sabbath-keepers, 
the  work  for  African  women,  and  others  which  need  not  be 
mentioned,  but  which  have  touched  the  hearts  and  busied  the 
hands  of  our  women  in  cheerful  acquiescence  to  repeated  calls 
for  increased  giving. 

ASSOCI.VnON    HOUR. 

At  the  sessions  of  the  Associations  in  the  spring  of  1886, 
the  interests  of  the  Woman's  Board  were  presented  success- 


256  DENOMINATIONAL  boards: 

ively  by  JNIrs.  O.  U.  Whitford,  in  tlie  Eastern;  Rev.  Pcrie  F. 
Randolph,  in  the  Central ;  Airs.  Platts,  in  the  \\^estern ;  and 
in  the  North- Western  was  held  a  "Deliberation  on  the  Organ- 
ization of  a  \^^oman's  Missionary  Board,"  led  by  !\Iiss  Bailey. 
In  the  following  spring  presentations  of  efforts  and  aims  were 
again  made  before  these  bodies,  and  these  have  continued, 
until  the  "Woman's  Hour"  is  a  recognized,  legitimate  part  of 
each  Association  program,  arranged  for  and  presided  over  by 
the  Associational  Secretar3^ 

CONFERENCE  SESSIONS. 

The  first  report  of  the  Board  to  the  Conference,  1885,  was 
made  as  a  part  of  the  business  of  the  evening  of  Wednesday. 
The  Corresponding  Secretary  included  in  her  own  the  Report 
of  the  Treasurer,  only  a  very  small  sum  of  money  having 
passed  through  her  hands,  the  work  of  the  Societies  being 
almost  entirely  reported  to  the  Board.  Much  had  been  accom- 
plished in  the  first  year,  and  a  most  hopeful  outlook  was  ex- 
pressed. The  second  report,  in  1886,  was  made  on  the  evening 
of  the  first  day  of  Conference,  and  was  accompanied  by  a  pro- 
gram, in  which  Mrs.  A.  H.  Lewis  treated  ably  of  "How  the 
Woman's  Board  Can  Aid  in  the  Work  of  the  Tract  Society ;" 
and  Mrs.  O.  U.  Whitford,  of  "What  Can  the  Woman's  Board 
do  for  Missions?"  On  the  adoption  of  the  report,  Dr.  A.  H. 
Lewis  spoke,  emphasizing  the  importance  and  possibilities  of 
woman's  work  for  the  Master.  So  began  the  series  of  woman's 
sessions  in  the  Conference,  to  which  has  been  given  the  best 
thought  of  the  ablest  minds  among  our  women,  and  which  is 
anticipated  by  the  lady  delegates  to  Conference  as  a  means  of 
information,  inspiration  and  encouragement  in  olr  own  spe- 
cial work.  For  several  years,  the  evening  after  the  Sabbath 
has  been  given  to  this  department  of  the  Conference. 

CONCLUSION. 

Such,  in  briefest  outline,  is  the  history  of  the  Woman's 
Board.  Of  the  unwritten  history,  the  anxious  planning,  the 
painful  solicitude,  the  earnest,  united  prayers  of  our  body  of 
women,  secured  through  the  use  of  the  prayer-calendars,  the 
glad  fruition  of  hope  long  deferred,  the  looking  forward  to  the 
oncoming  future  with  unfaltering  trust,  who  shall  speak  ? 

With  unshaken  faith  in  the  purpose  and  ability  of  our 
(16) 


WOMAN  S   I'.OAKl).  257 

women,  l)oni  of  the  manifold  experience  of  the  past,  we  con- 
fidently leave  the  unfoldings  of  the  future  in  their  hands ; 
believino;  that  they  will  be  directed  and  blessed  l)y  11  im  who  is 
all-patient,  all-loving  and  all-powerful. 

MANAGING    OFFICERS    OF    THE     liOAKl). 

Presidents — Ah^s.  L.  A.  Hull.  2  years;  Mrs.  M.  S.  Clarke,  8  years; 
Mrs.  O.  U.  Whitford,  2  years;  ]\Irs.  J.  B.  Morton,  3  years;  Mrs.  L.  A. 
Platts,  3  years. 

Honorary  President — Mrs.  H.  S.  Clarke,  4  years. 

Corresponding  Seeretaries — Mrs.  L.  A.  Platts,  2  years;  Miss  Mary 
F.  Bailey.  6  years;  Mrs.  O.  U.  Whitford.  i  year;  Mrs.  Albert  Whit- 
ford, 9  years. 

Recording  Secretaries — (Made  a  separate  office  in  1889) — Mrs. 
C.  M.  Bliss,  3  years;  Mrs.  E.  M.  Unnn,  5  years;  Mrs.  E.  D.  Bliss, 
5  years. 

Treasurers — Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick.  2  years;  Mrs.  M.  E.  Post, 
I  year;  Mrs.  Nellie  G.  Ingham,  6  years;  Miss  Elizabeth  Steer,  i  year; 
Mrs,  E.  B.  Saunders,  i  year ;  Mrs.  George  R.  Ross.  5  years ;  Mrs.  L.  A. 
Platts,  2  years. 


THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S 
PERMANENT  COMMITTEE. 


MISS   AGNES   BABCOCK. 
See     Biograpli'cal    Sketches,    p.    1361. 


THE  YOUNG    PEOPLE'S  PERMANENT 
COMMITTEE. 


Agnes  Babcock. 


Vouiii^'  people's  work  and  youns^"  peoi)le  themselves  are 
now  such  prominent  factors  in  the  Christian  church  that  we 
often  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  conditions  of  twenty-five 
years  ago  were  totally  different  from  those  of  the  present  time. 
The  last  quarter  of  a  century  has  witnessed  the  development 
of  this  branch  of  the  church's  work,  and  it  has  l)een  in  many 
ways  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  rapid  growth,  the  enthusi- 
astic grasp  after  new  methods,  and  the  putting  forward  ot 
younger  men  and  women  to  places  of  responsil:)ility,  which 
characterizes  the  twentieth  century  in  matters  secular  as  well 
as  sacred.  And  while  the  movement  has  not  ])n)ved  the 
tmmixed  blessing  which  the  reading  of  mere  statistics  might 
indicate. — that  it  has  marked  a  decided  advance  step  as  to 
methods  in  Christian  work  and  has  been  a  powc-r  for  g(M)d, 
there  can  be  no  c|uestion. 

In  the  early  da}s  the  activities  of  the  church  were  in  the 
hands  of  men  and  women  of  mature  years ;  the  ministers  were 
the  dignified  and  wry  often  venerable  coimsellors  and  admon- 
ishers  of  the  }-outli  :  ihe  pillars  of  the  church  were  men  and 
women  of  sober  matmitx  :  and  it  was  the  voices  of  these  which 


262  SEVEXTH-DAV    HAPTISTS: 

were  heard  in  the  prayer  meeting — not  those  of  the  younger 
people.  Later  the  Sabbath  School  was  instituted  for  the  spe- 
cific instruction  and  guidance  of  children  and  youth,  but 
it  is  within  a  comparatively  recent  time  that  young  people  have 
taken  active  part  in  church  work.  Now  the  younger  men  are 
sought  for  the  ministry,  young  men  and  women  take  the  lead 
in  church  affairs,  and  the  presence  of  young  people  in  the 
prayer  meeting  is  the  rule,  not  the  exception. 

The  conservation  and  direction  of  the  energies  and  enthus- 
iasm of  the  young  people  of  the  church  was  the  unsolved 
problem  which  faced  the  pastors  and  leaders  of  two  decades 
ago.  Among  our  own  people,  the  attempt  at  solution  was  made 
by  a  man  who  was  known  as  a  progressive  leader,  and  who  af- 
terwards proved  himself,  by  his  generous  gifts  to  our  educa- 
tional institutions,  a  true  friend  to  young  people — ]\Ir.  ( jeorge 
H.  Babcock.  He  worked  out  the  idea  of  a  young  people's  soci- 
ety which  should  be  identified  with  church  work,  at  the  same 
time  giving  place  for  social  enjoyment  and  literary  activity. 
This  society  was  called  the  Excel  Band,  and  through  his  influ- 
ence was  instituted  in  many  of  our  churches  about  the  year 
1881.  It  had  a  pledge,  and  in  purpose  if  not  method,  was  quite 
parallel  to  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.,  Avhich  began  in  the  Congrega- 
tional church  at  about  the  same  time. 

The  beginning  of  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  was  quite  unpreten- 
tious,— the  plan  originating  in  the  mind  of  a  pastor  who  wished 
to  find  a  channel  for  the  enthusiasm  of  his  young  people. 
When,  in  February,  1881,  the  Rev.  F.  E.  Clark  put  his  idea  for 
this  purpose  into  efifect  by  the  organization  of  the  first  Y.  P. 
S.  C.  E.  in  his  church  in  Portland,  Me.,  he  was  building  better 
than  he  knew.  The  plan  was  one  which  appealed  to  those 
interested  in  the  welfare  of  young  people,  as  a  practical  solu- 
tion of  the  problem,  and  it  was  tried  in  other  churches  with 
decided  success.  From  the  local  and  experimental  stage,  the 
growth  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  idea  presents  a  well  known, 
but,  nevertheless,  almost  phenomenal,  picture  of  the  success 
of  a  movement  which  numbers  its  adherents  by  the  millions, 
whose  "mfluence  has  been  felt  in  nearly  every  religious  denomi- 
nation and  has  extended  around  the  world. 

It  was  in  October,  1884.  three  years  after  the  (M-iginal 
society  was  organized,  that  the  first  Sevcntli-day  Baptist  "S*.  P. 


YOUXG    people's    PERMANENT    COMMITTEE.  263 

S.  C.  E.  was  formed  in  Westerh- ;  this  was  followed  by  Water- 
ford,  Ashaway,  West  Hallock,  and  Alfred,  within  the  year, 
so  that  the  close  of  1885  found  us  with  five  societies  having 
219  members. 

Meanwhile,  the  V.  P.  S.  C.  E.  had  been  extending  in 
other  denominations,  and  the  United  Society  had  been  formed, 
so  that,  although  originating  in  a  Congregational  church,  it 
was  not  looked  upon  as  belonging  to  that  denomination  exclus- 
ively, but  all  churches  felt  free  to  adopt  the  plan,  the  methods 
being  quite  general  in  their  application.  Among  our  own 
churches,  the  Excel  Band,  previously  mentioned,  had  been 
filling  the  need  which  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  met,  and  many 
churches  not  having  the  Exel  Band  had  held  prayer-meetings 
for  young  people,  so  that  the  transition  to  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E. 
was  not  an  abrupt  one.  For  two  or  three  years  several 
churches  maintained  both  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  and  the  Excel 
Band,  but  the  latter  soon  gave  way,  as  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E. 
grew  in  popularity  and  as  the  merit  of  its  methods  came  to 
be  recognized. 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  that  while  the  churches  of  the 
East  were  the  first  to  adopt  the  Christian  Endeavor  idea,  its 
growth  in  the  earlier  years  was  most  rapid  in  the  Xorthwest, 
from  1886  to  1888  nine  Societies  having  been  formed  in  that 
Association. 

Considering  the  denomination  as  a  whole,  the  greatest 
growth  was  from  1887  to  1894,  when,  on  the  average,  six  Soci- 
eties were  organized  each  year.  During  this  time  the  number 
increased  from  11  to  55,  and  the  total  membership  from 
494  to  2,619,  ^^'^^  marking  its  highest  point,  according  to  not 
.'dwa}s  reliable  reports. 

Jn  1891  the  first  Junior  Society  was  formed  at  North  Loup, 
Xeb.  The  following  year  saw  the  Juniors  established  at  Milton, 
Ashaway  and  Alfred.  From  that  time  the  growth  has  been 
steady,  until  now  there  are  reported  35  Societies,  Junior  and 
Intermediate,  having  a  membership  of  813.  The  Junior  work 
has  been  largely  systematized  and  strengthened  since  the  addi- 
tion to  the  Permanent  Committee  of  a  General  Superintendent 
of  Junior  Work,  Mrs.  ]  Tenr_\-  M.  ]Maxson  li.iving  l)een 
appointed  to  that  office  in  Kpo. 


264  SE\'i:XTH-DAV     liAl'TISTS: 

As  to  the  present  distribution  of  the  Youn"^  People's  Soci- 
eties, the  North-West  has  the  largest  number  of  Senior  Socie- 
ties, 15.  with  next  to  the  highest  average  membership.  49; 
the  average  membership  of  the  Socities  of  the  Western  Associ- 
ation being  50.  The  North-West  also  has  more  Junior  Socie- 
ties than  any  other  Association,  the  number  being  13.  The 
activity  of  the  young  people  of  this  section  is  attested  not  alone 
by  these  figures,  but  by  the  reports  of  the  work  of  their  Socie- 
ties. 

In  the  South-Eastern  Association  the  young  people  have 
been  especially  active,  and,  since  the  formation  of  the  first  Sev- 
enth-day Baptist  Christian  Endeavor  Society  in  that  section  in 
1889,  they  have  appreciated  the  help  and  impetus  of  organiza- 
tion. The  Salem  Society  has  been  prominently  identified  with 
the  state  work  and  was  instrumental  in  forming  the  West  \  ir- 
ginia  State  Union.  Upon  its  invitation,  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.'s 
of  all  denominations  met  with  the  Salem  Society  when  the 
state  organization  was  perfected  in  1891. 

The  Rhode  Island  Societies  have  also  been  prominent  iii 
the  State  Christian  Endeavor  work,  at  one  time  the  Ashaway 
Society  being  the  largest  in  the  state.  In  1895.  the  Rev.  W.  C. 
Daland.  who  was  pastor  of  the  Westerly  church  at  the  time, 
was  President  of  the  Rhode  Island  State  Union. 

The  Milton  Society,  with  the  other  Societies  of  Southern 
Wisconsin,  has  been  prominent  in  district  union  work ;  the 
Alfred.  Westerly  and  Plainfield  Societies  have  figured  largely 
in  the  Christian  Endeavor  work  in  their  localities.  In  fact, 
all  our  Societies  have  co-operated  in  local  union,  district  and 
state  Christian  Endeavor  affairs,  and  have  worked  side  by  side 
with  the  Endeavorers  of  other  denominations  in  making  these 
organizations  successful. 

The  International  Convention  of  1892.  held  in  New  York, 
was  especially  marked  for  us  by  the  large  number  of  Seventh- 
day  Baptists  in  attendance,  and  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Rally, 
held  in  Plainfield.  Meetings  of  the  different  denominations. 
which  later  became  a  feature  of  the  International  Conventions. 
were  first  held  on  an  extensive  scale  at  this  time,  and  that 
of  the  Seventh-day  Baptists  was  held  at  Plainfield.  I'pon  the 
invitation  of  that  Society,  all  of  the  Seventh-day  I'.aptists  in 
attendance  at  the  Convention  si)enl  the  Sal)l)ath  at   Plainfield. 


REV.  MORDKCAI  HARTLEY  KELLY. 
See   Biugyat>hical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


JR. 


vouxG   people's   permanent   co.M.MrrTEE.  265 

where  a  most  inspiring'  rally  was  held,  addressed  by  our  most 
prominent  Christian  Endeavor  workers.  This  was  the  most 
enjoyable  feature  of  the  great  Convention  to  those  who  were 
present,  and  was  a  source  of  courage  and  inspiration  in  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  work  for  our  denomination. 

Following-  the  Xew  York  Convention  there  was  an  inter- 
esting correspondence  between  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis  and  the  officers 
of  the  United  Society,  growing  out  of  the  fact  that  our  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  Societies  were  not  recognized  in  the  official  pro- 
gram by  a  place  on  the  roll  of  denominations.  Dr.  Lewis  called 
the  attention  of  Dr.  Clark,  the  President  of  the  L^nited  Society, 
to  this,  and  the  subsequent  correspondence  developed  the  fact 
that  the  omission  was  intentional.  An  official  letter  from  the 
General  Secretary  stated  that,  while  the  United  Society  wel- 
comed the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Christian  Endeavor  Societies, 
it  could  not  consistently  grant  them  recognition,  officially,  in 
conventions,  nor  give  them  representation  on  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  stating  as  reasons  for  such  decisions  that  we  had 
refused  to  sign  jietitions  for  the  Sunday  closing  of  the  World's 
Fair,  and  that  our  position  on  the  question  of  the  Sabbath  was 
directly  opposed  to  that  of  the  United  Society  in  its  efforts  to 
promote  better  Sunday-observance.  This  statement  from  an 
official  source  in  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  for  a  time, 
threatened  to  antagonize  many  of  our  young  peoi^le.  ])ut.  upon 
mature  thought,  considering  the  fact  that  the  United  Society 
had  refused  us  as  a  denomination  that  for  which  we  had  never 
asked;  and.  feeling  secure  as  to  the  points  in  ([uestion,  those 
who  had  the  matter  in  hand  dropped  it.  and  the  atTair  was 
ended.  Since  then  the  Christian  Endeavor  movement  has  had 
as  loyal  support.  locall\-.  among  Seventh-day  Baptists  as  before, 
and  the  Society  has  held  its  place  as  the  recognized  form  of 
organization   for  young  peo])le  throughout  the  (kMK)minati()n. 

'Vhv  intluence  of  the  Christian  l*Lndeavor  movement  in 
developing  the  interest  of  young  people  in  church  and  denom- 
inational affairs  was  felt  even  before  the  organization  of  Socie- 
ties became  general  among  our  churches,  and  it  was  largely 
in  deference  to  this  recognized  tendency  that  the  (leneral  Con- 
ference changed  the  date  of  holding  its  session  from  Septem- 
ber to  August,  in  order  not  to  conflict  with  the  school  year. 
The  first   C'onference  in   August   was  held  in   Leimardsxille   in 


266  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

1888.  and  the  attendance  of  yovuig  people  was  marked.  Since 
that  time  there  has  been  an  increasing  interest  in  denomina- 
tional work  upon  the  part  of  the  young  people,  shown  by  their 
presence  at  Conference  and  their  participation  in  its  exer- 
cises. 

At  the  Conference  of  1888.  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
consider  the  matter  of  denominational  organization  of  the 
young  people,  which  should  tend  to  strengthen  their  interest 
and  make  united  action  in  denominational  work  possible. 
Among  those  who  urged  this  action  were  B.  C.  Davis,  L.  C. 
Randolph  and  Miss  Susie  Burdick,  prominent  Christian 
Endeavor  workers.  The  following  year,  1889,  this  committee, 
whose  chairman  was  Dr.  A.  E.  Main,  presented  to  the  Con- 
ference a  report  which  recommended  the  appointment 
of  a  permanent  committee  of  young  people,  which 
should  consist  of  three  members,  located  near  each  other 
as  the  executive  officers,  and  Associational  members  represent- 
ing the  different  sections.  This  committee,  besides  seeking  to 
promote  general  Christian  culture  among  our  young  people, 
was  to  endeavor  to  promote  united  action  in  lines  with  our 
various  denominational  enterprises.  In  accordance  with  the 
recommendation,  the  Conference  appointed  the  first  Permanent 
Committee,  locating  it  in  Leonardsville,  N.  Y.,  with  W.  C. 
Daland,  President ;  Agnes  Babcock,  Secretary ;  W.  C.  Whit- 
ford,  Treasurer. 

The  work  of  the  committee  at  the  beginning  was,  to  a 
great  extent,  tentative  and  experimental,  as  the  ground  was 
new ;  but  the  interest  of  the  young  people  in  denominational 
matters  was  strengthened,  and  they  were  soon  prepared  to 
unite  their  efforts  in  enterprises  which  were  afterwards  suc- 
cessfully carried  on. 

In  1 89 1,  the  Permanent  Committee  pledged  the  support 
of  Rev.  J.  L.  Huffman,  who  was  employed  by  the  Missionary 
Board,  as  a  missionary  evangelist.  He  gave  special  attention, 
in  connection  with  his  work,  to  the  young  people  and  organized 
a  number  of  Christian  Endeavor  Societies  in  the  one  and  one- 
half  years  that  he  was  thus  engaged. 

In  1892,  the  Tract  Depository  work  in  Xew  York  and 
Chicago  received  the  particular  efforts  of  the  young  people, 
throucrh  the  Permanent  Committee.  l)oth  in  contrilnitions  and 


YOUXG    people's    PERMANENT    COMMITTEE.  267 

in  the  work  of  securing  mailing  lists  and  in  the  distribution  of 
Sabbath  literature. 

In  1893,  the  Student  Evangelistic  ^Movement  claimed  their 
attention,  and  in  1895,  one-half  of  the  salary  of  Dr.  Rosa  Palm- 
borg,  ]\Iedical  ]\Iissionary  to  China,  was  pledged. 

These  are  the  distinctive  lines  of  work  in  which  the  Perma- 
nent Committee  has  lead  our  young  people  during  the  past  thir- 
teen years.  These  alone  would  have  justified  its  existence; 
but  not  less  important  have  been  its  constant  efforts  to  increase 
the  contributions  of  the  young  people  to  the  general  benevolent 
work  of  the  denomination,  to  keep  them  informed  as  to  all 
lines  of  work  and  the  resulting  growth  of  unity  and  denomina- 
tional spirit  among  the  young  people. 

The  funds  reported  by  the  Treasurer  of  the  Permanent 
Committee  are  to  a  certain  extent  an  index  of  the  work  accom- 
plished. Beginning  with  $148.64  the  first  year,  the  amounts 
rapidly  increased,  until  in  1897,  there  w^as  reported  $1,211.46 
passing  through  his  hands.  This  does  not  represent  the  total 
amounts  raised  by  the  Young  People's  Societies,  as  all  does 
not  go  through  the  Permanent  Committee  treasury.  For  the 
last  ten  years  the  reports  show  a  total  average  of  $1,737.16 
paid  out  each  year  by  all  our  young  people's  societies. 

The  funds  have  been  used  by  different  Societies  in  car- 
rying on  special  work  in  addition  to  that  supported  by  the 
Permanent  Committee.  Individual  Societies  have  taken  up  the 
various  lines  of  denominational  enterprise ;  the  Gold  Coast 
Mission,  Sabbath  Evangelizing  and  Industrial  Association. 
Student  Evangelist  Work,  Mizpah  Alission  for  Sailors,  have 
all  received  special  contributions  at  different  times.  The 
Societies  also  contribute  to  local  work ;  one  Society  clothes 
and  educates  a  girl  at  Alfred;  another  helps  support  a  Bible 
woman  in  Holland :  another  publishes  a  little  paper  in  the 
interests  of  Christian  Endeavor ;  another  starts  a  building  fund, 
and  has  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  church  building  complctetl. 
largely  through  its  efforts. 

The  local  work  which  has  had  the  greatest  devel()])niont 
and  which  should  receive  special  mention  is  that  of  the  Socie- 
ties having  their  center  at  IVIilton.  In  1889.  the  Local  Union 
of  Seventh-day  Baptist  Christian  Endeavor  Societies  of  South- 
ern Wisconsin  appointed  a  committee  to  assist  in  organizing 


268  SEVENTH-DAY    I'.A  I-'IIS'I'S  : 

Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.'s,  and  to  do  work  in  needy  churches.  This  com- 
mittee did  excellent  work  along  this  line,  helped  to  re-establish 
at  least  one  church,  and  gave  very  welcome  assistance  to  other 
weak  ones.  The  Union  paid  the  traveling  expenses  of  L.  C. 
Randolph  and  E.  B.  Saunders  in  carrying  out  this  w-ork. 
Growing  out  of  these  efforts  and  under  the  patronage  of  a 
friend  of  young  people,  Mr.  I.  J.  Ordway,  in  the  summer  of 
1892,  six  young  men,  students  at  Morgan  Park  Seminary,  went 
out  to  spend  their  vacation  in  evangelistic  work.  They  were 
L.  C.  Randolph.  G.  B.  Shaw,  T.  J.  \'an  Horn,  F.  E.  Peterson. 
D.  B.  Coon  and  \\'.  D.  Burdick.  Their  work  was  so  successful 
that  the  following  year  three  quartets  were  sent  out  from  Mil- 
ton. This  work  was  then  taken  up  by  the  Missionary  Board, 
and  from  it  their  evangelistic  work  has  been  largely  extended. 
•In  1900,  nine  quartets,  representing  Alfred,  Milton  and  Salem, 
spent  the  summer  vacation  in  the  field. 

As  the  Student  Evangelistic  Work  is  the  direct  product 
of  the  Christian  Endeavor,  it  can  also  claim  workers  in  other 
lines.  Alfred  has  sent  out  three  missionaries  from  its  ranks : 
Susie  Burdick  to  China,  Peter  A'elthuysen  to  Africa,  Jay  Crofoot 
to  China ;  Hannah  Larkin  Crofoot,  his  wife,  while  a  member  of 
the  Alfred  Society  at  the  time  of  their  departure,  had  been  an 
active  worker  in  the  Xew  Market  Christian  Endeavor ;  Plain- 
field  gave  Jacob  Bakker  to  East  Africa,  and  Milton,  Dr.  Rosa 
Palmborg  to  China.  These  fellow-workers,  who  received  their 
training  in  Christian  work  in  part  in  the  Christian  Endeavor, 
have  bravely  devoted  their  lives  to  the  blaster's  service.  The 
grave  of  the  one  who  gave  up  his  life  for  the  colored  people 
whom  he  had  come  to  love,  as  well  as  the  lives  of  the  others, 
speak  of  the  power  of  united  service  and  the  influence  of 
association  in  developing  the  spirit  which  is  read\"  to  give 
the  best  of  life  and  talents  in  the  service  of  others. 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL 
BOARD. 


REV.   IRA   LEE  COTTRELL. 
See    Biugraphical    Sketclics,    p.   1361. 


THE  SABBATH   SCHOOL  BOARD. 


Rev.   Ira  Lee  Cottrell. 


Dr.  Trumbull  in  his  Yale  lectures  on  the  Sunday-school 
says,  "It  was  in  the  city  of  Gloucester,  England,  on  July  i, 
1780,  that  Robert  Raikes,  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the 
Gloucester  Journal,  who  had  already  interested  himself  in  phil- 
anthropic efforts  at  prison  reform,  gathered  the  poor  children 
of  a  manufacturing  quarter  of  that  city,  into  the  rooms  of  a 
private  house  of  the  neighborhood,  for  their  Sunday  instruc- 
tion in  reading  and  in  the  elementary  truths  of  religion  ''■'  '•' 
and  this  was  the  beginning  of  the  modern  Sunday-school  move- 
ment. This  was  the  revival  under  new  auspices,  of  the  di- 
vinely appointed  Church  Bible  School.  This  was  the  starting- 
point  of  a  new  period  of  life  and  hope  to  the  Church  of  Christ, 
and  through  the  church  to  the  world." 

It  is  especially  interesting  to  us  to  know  that  a  Seventh-day 
r.aptist  Sabbath  school  was  organized  about  1740,  forty  years 
before  Robert  Raikes'  .Sunday-school.  This  Sabbath  school 
was  organized  at  Ephrata,  Pa.,  by  Ludwig  Hockcr  among  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Germans,  and  continued  until  1777.  when 
their  room  with  others  was  given  up  for  hosj)ital  purposes, 
after  the  battle  of  Brandywinc.  and  the  school  was  never  af- 
terwards re-organizc(l.  For  the  encouragement  of  girls  ami 
lady  helpers  in  Sal)bath  school  work,  I  wish  to  quote  from  Mr. 


2/2  SEVENTH-DAY    HAI'TISTS: 

Julius  F.  Sachse's  book,  "The  German  Sectarians  of  Pennsyl- 
vania."' "All  traditions,  however,  appear  to  agree  that  Brother 
Obed  (Ludwig  Hooker)  was  seconded  in  his  efforts  by  his 
daughter,  Maria  (Sister  Petronella),  who  is  described  as  a 
lovely  and  beautiful  girl,  not  only  comely  in  form,  but  love- 
ly and  beautiful  in  her  Christian  character,  as  ardent  and  ac- 
tive in  the  Sabbath  school  as  she  was  in  every  Christian  virtue. 
Maria  Hocker  was  undoubtedly  the  first  female  Sabbath  school 
teacher  of  whom  we  have  any  record.  Another  thing  which 
makes  it  evident  that  the  Seventh-day  Baptists  were  among  the 
first  promoters  of  Bible  school  work,  is  a  catechism  published 
in  1761,  tw^enty  years  after  this  first  Sabbath  school  in  modern 
tmies,  of  which  we  have  any  record,  and  nearly  twenty  years 
before  Robert  Raikes  called  together  his  memorable  Sunday- 
school.  A  manuscript  copy  of  this  book  is  now  in  the  Alfred 
University  library  ;  made  by  Elder  W.  B.  Gillette,  in  1849,  fr6m 
the  only  copy  then  known,  which  was  found  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, N.  J.,  in  the  possession  of  some  of  the  descendants  of 
Mr.  Dunham,  and  they  permitted  Elder  Gillette  to  take  and 
transcribe  it,  which  act  he  dates.  New  Market,  February  i, 
1849.  This  catechism  is  entitled;  "A  Brief  Instruction  in  The 
Principles  of  the  CJiristian  Religion,  by  way  of  questions  and 
answers,  for  the  general  use  of  all  persons  both  young  and  old, 
by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham."  "Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he 
should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it." 
Woodbridge.  Printed  by  James  Parker,  1761.  There  are  one 
Inmdred  and  sixteen  questions  and  as  many  answers. 

CONFERENCE    QUESTION    BOOK. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Conference  for 
1836,  held  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  September  7-9,  one  item  of  the 
report  of  the  "Committee  on  Publications"  reads  as  follows: 
"We  recommend  the  appointment  of  a  committee  of  three  to 
compile  a  volume  of  questions  of  convenient  size,  embracing 
the  prominent  historical  facts,  doctrines  and  duties,  contained 
in  the  New  Testament  for  the  use  of  Sabbath  schools  and  Bible 
classes  in  our  connection.  The  recommendation  was  adopted.'' 
Elders  A.  Campbell,  W.  B.  Maxson  and  John  Davis  were  ap- 
pointed the  committee  to  compile  said  volume,  and  it  was  vot- 
ed that  their  remuneration  shall  be  received  from  sale  of  the 
(17) 


SAiJisATii   sciioor.  I'.oAki).  273 

book,  and  whatever  that  ma\-  fall  short  be  made  i^ood  by  Con- 
ference at  its  next  session.  This  is  a  small  book  of  206  pages, 
mostly  simple  questions  on  the  facts  of  the  fonr  gospels,  and 
Acts  of  the  Apostles.  One  or  more  questions  are  asked  on 
nearly  every  verse  of  a  given  chapter,  and  numbered  by  the 
chapter  and  verse,  so  that  any  ordinary  child  could  find  the 
answer  in  the  chapter  and  verse  corresponding  thereto.  A  few 
questions  are  found  with  answers,  and  but  a  few.  These  are 
usually  about  persons,  places,  dates,  etc..  not  found  in  the  text 
of  the  Bible  or  in  other  portions  from  the  one  under  consid- 
eration. 

This  "Series  of  Questions  on  the  Historical  Parts  of  the 
New  Testament,"  etc.,  may  have  been  a  helpful  stepping-stone 
in  Sabbath  school  teaching,  but  would  seem  to  possess  no  great 
merit  for  our  present  times,  except  to  show  the  development  of 
Sabbath  school  teaching.  The  questions  are  similar  to  those 
on  the  lessons  in  our  ordinary  Bible  School  Quarterlies.  It 
seems  to  have  come  into  very  general  use  by  the  denomina- 
tion. A  copy  of  this  book  also  may  be  found  in  Alfred  Uni- 
versity Library. 

.SAin!.\TH    .SCHOOL   INSTITUTE   OKGANIZ.VTIONS. 

It  seems  that  there  were  in  the  sixties,  and  up  to  1873 
separate  organizations  of  Sabbath  schools  for  promoting  their 
interests,  by  conducting  normal  classes,  and  doing  institute 
work,  but  as  these  were  not  connected  with  the  associations 
and  so  far  as  we  know,  the  minutes  of  these  institutes  are  not 
preserved,  our  knowledge  of  them  is  incidental, and  from  recol- 
lections of  persons  who  knew  something  of  their  work.  There 
are  reports  of  the  annual  meetings  of  the  Sabbath  School  In- 
stitute in  the  bounds  of  the  Western  Association,  in  the  tiles 
of  the  Sabbath  Recorder  of  1867  and  some  later  years.  In  the 
minutes  of  Conference  for  September.  1873,  the  Sabbath 
School  Board  in  making  its  first  report  sa\s:  "The  Sabbath 
School  Institute  of  the  Western  Association  took  measures  at 
its  last  annual  association  in  August,  for  transferring  the  work 
of  the  institute  to  the  Western  Association,  thus  ])lacing  the 
Sabbath  school  work  on  the  bosom  of  the  church  where  it  be- 
longs." This  appears  to  have  been  done  at  the  next  session 
of  the  Western  .\ssociation  in  June.  1874.  The  same  report, 
."^peaking  of  the  Eastern  .Association,  has  the  following:  "From 


274  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

the  reports  sent  us  by  this  association,  it  appears  that  the  sepa- 
rate organization  which  has  hitherto  had  in  charge  the  Sabbath 
school  interests  of  the  Association,  has  this  year  given  place 
to  a  Sabbath  School  Board  appointed  by  that  body.  Some 
very  interesting  institute  exercises  were  held  in  connection 
with  the  meeting  of  the  association  in  Plainfield,  during  the 
first  week  in  June  (1873),  at  which  time  the  change  referred 
to  was  made.  Speaking  of  that  meeting  the  report  says :  'The 
spirit  that  pervaded  what  was  said  and  done,  indicates  a  grow- 
ing appreciation  of  the  importance  of  Sabbath  school  work. 
One  most  prominent  thought  was — that  the  membership  of  our 
churches  is  taking  a  more  active  part  in  Sabbath  school  inter- 
ests. This  is  healthful,  for  the  Sabbath  school  is  not  distinct 
from,  but  vitally  connected  with  the  church  itself.'  "'  The 
Southeastern  Association  had  no  special  Sabbath  school  or- 
ganization, but  the  work  from  the  beginning  was  recognized 
as  part  of  the  associational  work,  and  "Sabbath  school  teachers' 
institutes  were  held  with  very  encouraging  results." 

The  Central  Association  had  a  Sabbath  School  Executive 
Board,  centrally  located.  In  1873  the  Sabbath  School  Board 
of  the  Northwestern  Association  was  represented  as  "doing  a 
vigorous  work,"  holding  two  or  three  institutes  or  conventions 
each  year.  Good  work  was  evidently  accomplished  by  these 
special  organizations  or  through  the  different  associations  or 
their  boards,  which  aroused  and  quickened  the  Sabbath  school 
interest,  years  before  the  organization  of  the  Sabbath  School 
Board  of  the  General  Conference. 

THE    SABBATH    SCHOOL    BOARD    OF    CONFERENCE. 

At  the  Conference  at  Little  Genesee,  1870,  O.  D.  Sher- 
man presented  a  preamble  and  resolutions  in  which  reference 
was  made  to  the  ''Sabbath  school  as  a  most  efficient  means  of 
developing  Christian  growth  and  culture,  especially  in  thfe 
hearts  and  minds  of  the  young,  thus  sustaining  and  building 
up  our  churches,"  and  favored  the  formation  of  a  Sabbath 
school  department  of  the  General  Conference.  This  resolu- 
tion specified  the  duties  of  said  department  and  the  form  of  an 
organization  similar  to  our  present  Sabbath  School  Board. 
The  vote  on  the  resolution  was  taken  by  churches.  There 
were   57   churches   represented ;   thirty-eight    votes,    or    two- 


SABBATH.    SCHOOL    BOARD. 


^^71 


thirds  of  the  churches  present,  were  required  for  adoption. 
Thirty-four  churches  voted  for  it,  twenty  against  it,  and  three 
did  not  vote,  so  the  matter  was  defeated  for  the  time,  but  two 
}ears  later  substantially  the  same  resolution  was  adopted  by 
the  General  Conference  in  session  at  Southampton  (West 
Hallock),  111.,  and  the  following  named  persons  were  elected 
the  first  Sabbath  School  Board  in  1872:  President,  D.  E. 
]\laxson ;  Vice-Presidents,  C.  Potter,  Jr.,  C.  H.  ]Maxson,  O.  D. 
Sherman,  O.  U.  Whitford,  C.  A.  Burdick ;  Treasurer,  I.  D. 
Titsworth ;  Corresponding  Secretary,  L.  A.   Platts. 

The  first  annual  report  in  1873  showed  that  the  secretary 
had  conducted  institutes,  visited  superintendents,  teachers  and 
other  Sunday-school  workers,  and  advocated  the  importance 
of  normal  classes  "for  the  better  qualification  of  teachers  for 
the  dutifes  of  their  high  calling."  Since  then  the  general  Sab- 
bath school  work  of  the  denomination  has  largely  been  super- 
intended by  this  board. 

THE    SABB.VTH    SCHOOL    PUBLIC.VTIOXS. 

(See  Jubilee  Papers  for  first  three  publications.) 

The  Sahhath  School  Visitor.  The  Board  of  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  Publishing  Society  began  the  publication  of  Tlic 
Sabbath  School  J'isifor  in  January,  185 1,  with  George  B.  Utter 
as  editor.  In  the  following  September  it  had  reached  a  cir- 
culation of  1,500,  a  self-sustaining  basis.  It  was  under  the  edi- 
torial management  of  Mr.  Utter  until  the  close  of  the  seventh 
volume,  December,  1857,  and  then  came  under  the  supervision 
of  the  editorial  committee  of  the  Publishing  Board  until  the 
close  of  the  tenth  volume,  December,  t86o,  when  it  was  dis- 
continued. 

The  Sabbath  Sclwol  Paper.  This  paper  was  edited  and 
published  by  George  P..  Utter,  Westerly,  R.  I.,  in  1863  and 
1864. 

The  Sabbath  School  Gem.  Rev.  J.  E.  N.  Backus,  assisted 
by  his  efficient  wife,  edited  and  published  The  Sabbath  School 
Gem,  at  DcRuyter,  Port  Leyden  and  Scott,  X.  Y.,  and  Albion, 
Wis.,  in  1861-62,  then  1868-74.  It  won  favor.  Its  receipts 
paid  cash  expenses,  and  from  time  to  time  it  was  endorsed  by 
the  Conference. 

The  Sabbath  School  Journal.     The  Sabbath  School  Board 


2/6  SEVENTII-D.W  J'.APTIST.S  : 

at  its  first  report  recommended  the  puljlishino-  of  a  montlilv 
Sabbath  school  journal  for  the  use  of  superintendents,  teach- 
ers and  advanced  pupils  in  the  study  of  the  International  les- 
sons. As  an  experimental  test  they  issued  at  their  own  ex- 
pense a  specimen  number  of  the  proposed  journal,  embracing 
lessons  for  October,  1873.  Denominational  interests  and  doc- 
trines, and  Sabbath  school  work  were  to  be  presented  bv  this 
means  to  our  Sabbath  schools.  Samples  of  this  journal  were 
placed  before  the  Conference  for  inspection  and  the  recom- 
mendation was  adopted.  The  Board  according-ly  commenced 
the  publication  of  the  Sabbath  School  Journal  for  teachers,  and 
the  lesson  leaves  for  pupils,  January,  1874.  Rev.  D.  E.  ]\lax- 
son,  D.  D..  and  Rev.  L.  A.  Platts  were  appointed  editing  com- 
mittee, and  the  latter  was  also  appointed  publishing  agent.  At 
the  end  of  two  months  Brother  Maxson  was  obliged  to  give 
up  all  labor  on  account  of  ill  health,  after  which  the  work  fell 
entirely  on  Brother  Platts.  The  lessons  were  prepared  for 
one  month  at  a  time,  mostly  by  dififerent  individuals.  The 
Journal  and  Lesson  Papers  were  used  by  nearly  every  school 
in  the  denomination.  Seven  hundred  Journals  and  4.500  Les- 
son Papers  were  used  monthly.  Six  hundred  and  twenty-five 
copies  of  the  Journal  were  taken  at  the  regular  price  of  ^1.25, 
while  the  Lesson  Papers  were  free.  The  income  was  consid- 
erably less  than  the  cost  of  the  Journals  and  left  a  deficiency 
of  $165  after  the  first  year.  The  Sabbath  School  Journal  was 
discontinued  on  the  completion  of  the  first  volume.  It  was 
a  periodical  of  merit  and  strength,  but  the  field  was  too  limited 
to  sustain  it. 

The  Bible  Scholar.  (We  are  largely  indebted  to  Brother 
O.  D.  Sherman  for  the  following)  : 

For  several  years  prior  to  1877  much  had  been  said  and 
written  and  expressed  in  resolutions  at  associations,  of  the 
need  of  a  denominational  Sabbath  school  paper.  To  meet  this 
demand  the  Executive  Board  of  the  Sabbath  Tract  Society 
agreed  that  they  would  publish  such  a  paper  at  cost,  provid- 
ing they  were  guaranteed  against  loss  and  the  editing  should 
be  provided  for  outside  the  society.  In  response  to  this  offer 
the  following  named  brethren  at  Alfred  accepted  the  pro])osi- 
tion  of  the  Tract  Board  on  the  conditions  stated :     ( ).  D.  Sher- 


REV.  (il-(JR(;i>:  P.LV  SMAW. 
See   Biographical   SIcetclics,  p.   1361. 


SAliliATII     SCHOOL    HOARD.  277 

man.  David  R.  Stillman.  X.  \'.  Mull.  A.  II.  Lewis,  A.  B.  Ken- 
}on.  P>.  F.  Lano^worthy.  J.  (i.  Ikirdick.  T.  R.  Williams,  H.  C. 
Coon.  John  M.  Mosher.  A.  C.  Burdick,  I.  L.  Cottrcll.  L.  M. 
Cottrell. 

A  notice  was  issued  in  The  Recorder  of  May  31.  1877. 
that  such  a  paper  would  be  published  when  a  subscription  list 
of  1.500  was  assured,  and  Rev.  O.  D.  Sherman  was  invited  to 
be  the  editor  and  David  R.  Stillman  financial  a.qent.  Append- 
ed to  this  was  an  appeal,  and  a  statement  of  what  was  pro- 
posed, that  the  paper  should  be  a  quarto  8x10  inches,  issued 
monthly,  and  if  the  patronag-e  would  warrant  it  would  be  illus- 
trated,, and  the  price  would  be  25  cents  a  copy. 

The  Recorder  of  July  12  announced  that  subscriptions 
and  pledges  amounted  to  1,276  copies,  and  the  issue  of  July 
26.  that  the  paper  would  surely  be  published,  commencing  with 
the  August  number.     It  was  called  llic  Bible  Scholar. 

After  the  first  }ear  the  paper  was  enlarged  to  10x12  inches, 
so  that  larger  type  and  more  cuts  could  be  used.  This  consid- 
erably increased  the  cost  of  the  paper  without  increasing  the 
patronage.  This  and  the  removal  of  the  editor  from  Alfred, 
and  a  seeming  decline  of  interest  in  the  paper  on  the  part  of 
the  denomination  finally  led  to  its  discontinuance  after  com- 
pleting the  second  year.  It  had  reached  a  circulation  of  1.600, 
and  the  income  paid  or  nearly  paid  expenses. 

OCR    SAr.r.ATII    \ISITOR. 

The  Bible  Scholar  had  been  discontinued  in  1871^  and 
many  felt  that  the  demand  of  the  O.ooo  children  in  dur  Sab- 
bath schools  for  a  paper  should  be  suiiplied,  and  that  it  should 
be  one  in  which  the  l'>ible  truths  should  be  taught,  unadulter- 
ated with  poisonous  errors  and  false  teachings  of  those  "who 
teach  for  doctrine  the  commandments  of  men"  (Mark  /"■/)■ 
At  tlie  General  Conference  in  1880.  the  Tract  vSociety  instruct- 
ed its  board  to  publish  a  weekly  Sabbath  school  jiaper.  Soon 
after  Conference  the  Tract  Board  invited  the  Sabbath  School 
Board  to  edit  the  same,  but  the  Sabbath  School  IJoard  located 
in  the  East,  felt  it  would  be  impossible  to  edit  satisfactorily  a 
weekly  paper,  published  so  far  away  as  Alfred  Center.  Tiie 
Tract  Board  finally  consented  to  the  publication  of  the  paper 
in  Xew  York,  but  were  unwilling  that  a  paper  jirinted  as  job 


270  SEVEX'I'JI-DAV    ISAl'TISrS: 

work  should  bear  the  imprint  of  the  PubHshing  House  of  the 
Tract  Society,  ahliough  they  ofifered  to  contribute  $400  a  year 
to  its  support.  The  Sabbath  School  Board,  fearing  that  the 
paper  thus  published  would  appear  as  hostile  to  the  denomina- 
tional publishing  house,  thought  best  to  submit  the  matter  to 
the  decision  of  the  Conference  of  1881. 

Thus  another  year  had  passed  without  a  Sabbath  school  pa- 
per. The  interest  throughout  the  denomination  was  focal- 
ized and  stimulated  even  by  these  vain  attempts  and  bore  fruit 
at  this  Conference.  The  hearts  of  Brother  Edwin  S.  Bliss 
and  his  wife  had  been  touched,  and  they  were  led  to  make  a 
very  generous  offer  toward  the-  establishment  of  such  a  paper. 

At  this  Conference  the  writer  was  authorized  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bliss  to  offer  the  proceeds  of  certain  oil  lands  near  Rich- 
burg,  New  York,  for  the  establishment  of  a  fund  for  the  sup- 
port of  a  weekly  Sabbath  school  paper.  In  the  course  of  a 
few  years  this  fund  amounted  to  about  $12,000.  This  liberal 
offer  of  Brother  and  Sister  Bliss  was  thankfully  accepted  by 
the  Conference,  and  the  paper,  "Our  Sabbatli  J'isifni',"  an  il- 
lustrated weekly,  was  first  issued  March  2,  1882.  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Sabbath  School  Board.  ]\Ir.  George  H.  Bab- 
cock  was  chosen  editor  and  ^liss  E.  Lua  Clarke,  assistant.  It 
was  published  in  New  York  at  60  cents  a  single  copy  :  ten 
copies  to  one  address,  each  50  cents.  I\Ir.  Babcock  and  Miss 
Clarke  edited  the  paper  one  year,  and  though  earnestly  re- 
quested to  continue  in  that  capacity,  resigned  the  editorshi]-) 
and  at  their  suggestion  Miss  Flora  Randolph,  of  Plainfield, 
was  engaged  to  fill  the  position  for  the  second  year.  But  the 
expenses  of  the  beautiful  and  excellent  paper  were  much  more 
than  the  subscription.  The  first  two  years  $3,814.78  of  the 
bequest  was  consumed.  At  the  session  of  Conference  for  1884 
a  special  committee  appointed  to  consider  the  matter,  suggested 
that  since  the  annual  expense  of  publishing  Our  SabbatJi  Visi- 
tor at  the  present  prospects  would  be  about  $750  above  the 
income  from  the  permanent  fund  and  the  subscriptions,  if 
Brother  Bliss  would  give  his  consent  to  the  use  of  the  perma- 
nent fund  for  sustaining  a  paper  issued  once  in  two  weeks  in- 
stead of  a  weekly,  until  such  time  as  the  fund  may  become  suf- 
ficient to  support  a  weekly,  such  a  paper  could  be  supplied,  with 


SAl'.P.ATII    SCHOOL    liOAKI).  279 

llie  present  circulation,  and  nia<le  self-supporlinj4-  at  the  sul)- 
scription  price  of  35  cents  per  annum.  This  report  was  adopt- 
ed by  the  Conference,  but  Brother  and  Sister  Bliss  wished  it 
to  remain  a  weekly.  Later  in  the  session  it  was  voted  that  we 
request  the  Sabbath  School  Board  to  consult  with  the  Tract 
Board,  and  if  found  practicable,  to  transfer  to  them  our  Sab- 
bath school  publishing  interests.  The  Tract  Board  did  not 
see  their  way  clear  to  accept  the  offer,  and  thus  the  Sabbath 
School  Board  came  to  the  Conference  of  1885.  It  was  then 
decided  to  accept  an  offer  of  Mr.  and  ~Sh-s.  Bliss  which  was 
made  with  the  condition  that  it  would  nullify  their  first  offer 
and  be  substituted  in  its  place,  by  which  arrangement  they 
were  to  continue  the  publication  of  Our  Sabkafli  Jlsifor  un- 
der the  editorial  management  of  the  Sabbth  School  Board  and 
pay  all  expenses  of  the  same  under  conditions  and  specifica- 
tions that  may  be  found  in  full  in  minutes  of  General  Confer- 
ence of  1885.  At  this  time  the  Board  announced  the  resigna- 
tion of  Miss  Flora  Randolph  to  take  eff'ect  September  2/.  Miss- 
Randolph's  services  had  been  very  acceptable.  Mrs.  L.  T. 
Stanton,  of  Shiloh,  N.  J.,  was  invited  to  take  the  editorship 
of  the  Jisitor  and  was  assisted  by  IMiss  Anna  S.  Davis,  of 
Shiloh,  and  the  paper  was  published  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.  They 
were  succeeded  by  Miss  Edna  A.  Bliss  and  she  in  turn  by  Miss 
Laura  Randolph,  all  of  whom  did  good  and  acceptable  work. 
The  latter  continued  her  services  until  the  paper  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Sabbath  School  Board  under  the  presidency  of 
George  B.  Shaw,  February,  1902,  and  published  at  the  office 
of  the  Tract  Society  in  Plainfield,  X.  ]..  with  Miss  Ernestine 
C.  Smith  as  editor  and  Mrs.  Henry  M.  Maxson  consulting  edi- 
tor. It  is  now  an  eight-page  illustrated  weekly  with  primary 
lessons  and  a  Junior  Christian  Endeavor  column.  The  trans- 
fer of  the  paper  was  made  by  the  payment  of  $500  to  Mr. 
i'.liss  for  the  good  will,  subscri])tit)n  list  and  the  cuts. 

There  are  few  of  our  schools  in  which  The  Sabbath  1  'isi- 
tcr  is  not  takrii  and  read. 

Ll-:.SSO.\     LKAVK.S    AND    I,i:S.S()NS    I\    SAr.r.ATH    Ki-.tOKDER. 

The  lesson  leaves  for  scholars  were  issued  monthly  ))y 
the  Sabl)atli  School  B>oard  in  connection  with  the  Sabbath 
School  Journal,  and  wiri'  furnished  to  schools  free.     .As  many 


28o  .sl■:vl•:^"'|■ll-l).\^•   iiai'tis'is  : 

as  4,500  copies  wx'vv  published  the  first  _\ear.  The  second  year. 
1S75,  they  were  pul)lishe(l  In-  the  Tract  Hoard  at  75  cents  per 
liunth-ed.  The  Sahhafli  School  Journal  beinj^-  (Hscontinued  at  the 
( nd  of  1874.  tlie  lessons  were  ])u])lishe(l  in  the  Sabbath  Re- 
corder, edited  in  1875  by  C.  A.  ijurdick,  A.  E.  Main,  S.  R. 
Wheeler  and  L.  1*^  Liverniore.  Since  that  time  dififerent  ones 
liave  assisted  in  editing  the  lessons,  h^jr  a  time  in  i87()  and 
'80,  the  Sabbath  School  ]5oard  decided  to  omit  the  Scripture 
lessons  from  the  leaf,  givint';'  onlv  the  reference  and  a  few  of 
the  (juestions.  and  in  ])lace  of  giving  brief  notes,  references  and 
hel])s.  intended  to  make  the  leaf  more  valuable.  This  change 
proved  too  radical  for  general  acceptance,  and  was  discontin- 
ued. It  would  seem  that  the  lesson  leaves  were  discontinued 
in  1884.  upon  the  ap])earance  of  Tlic  ffelpiiii:;  Hand,  while  the 
lessons  have  been  continued  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder  to  the 
present  time,  taken  from  ilelpiui^  Hand. 

TIIIC    lll'.l.l'IXC.    IIAXl). 

The  report  of  the  Tract  lioard  for  1885  has  the  following: 
''l''or  some  years  there  has  been  a  growing  feeling  on  the  part 
of  the  Sabbath  school  workers,  that  the  lesson  leaves  were 
an  insufftcient  means  of  inducing  study  of  the  lessons,  and  a 
demand  has  been  created  for  something  more  useful.  Elder 
A.  E.  Main  having  offered  to  conduct  a  (|uarterly  devoted  to 
the  Sabbath  school  lessons  and  aids  to  study,  it  was  decided  at 
the  beginning  of  the  year  to  publish  such  a  periodical  in  place 
of  lesson  leaves.  Three  numbers  of  I'he  Helpiui^  Hand  have 
been  published.  It  was  well  received  by  the  Sabbath  schools, 
some  1,700  copies  being  taken  at  25  cents  a  year  per  copy.  This 
will  leave  a  balance  of  $5  or  $6  profit  over  actual  charges." 
The  first  issue  was  for  the  quarter  beginning  January  i,  1885. 
After  the  first  year,  owing  to  the  sickness  of  Brother  Main, 
the  charge  of  this  publication  devolved  on  Brother  L.  A. 
Platts,  editor  of  the  Sabbath  Recorder,  and  dififerent  ones  were 
asked  to  help  in  i)reparing  notes  on  the  lessons.  l)y  request 
of  the  Tract  Board  the  Sabbath  School  Board  took  the  edito- 
rial charge,  probably  conunencing  with  the  first  quarter  of 
1895,  and  the  former  method  of  soliciting  different  ones  to  as- 
sist was  continued  until  i8()8.  when  the  services  of  Rev.  \V.  C. 
AMiitford.  of  Alfred,  were  secured  to  edit  the  comments  on  the 


SABIIATII    SCHOOL    T.OARD.  28l 

lessons  which  lie  lias  contiimed  to  do  very  satisfactorily  to  the 
present  time.  The  Helping  Hand  has  been  appreciated  and 
generally  accepted  by  our  people.  The  Tract  Society  in  its 
leport  for  1901  says,  "This  quarterly  has  been  published  as 
usual  with  an  average  issue  of  2,856  numbers,  at  a  cost  of 
$551.96,  with  receipts  amounting  to  $576.26,  leaving  a  credit 
balance  of  $24.30.  INIore  than  3.000  copies  are  now  being  is- 
sued. Primary  notes  on  the  lessons  were  published  in  The 
Helping  Hand  for  a  short  time  and  then  discontinued. 

THE   INTERMEDIATE   LESSON    LEAVES. 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  Sabbath  School  Board  during 
the  year  1900,  the  Tract  Society  published  an  intermediate  les- 
son leaf,  which  reached  a  circulation  of  846  copies.  It  was  dis- 
continued after  the  first  year  for  want  of  support. 

THE  EXCEL  liANI). 

The  report  of  the  Sabbath  School  Board  for  1881  says: 
"During  the  past  winter  the  President  of  the  Board  (George 
PT.  Babcock)  brought  out  a  neat  device  combining  a  pledge, 
nlottoes.  monogram  and  certificate  of  membership  for  an  or- 
ganization within  the  Sabbath  schools  designed  to  enlist  all 
the  children,  old  and  young,  in  works  of  temperance,  kindness, 
love  and  personal  purity.  A  copy  of  the  certificate  and  state- 
ment of  the  plan  were  sent  to  all  known  superintendents  and 
pastors  for  examination  and  action,  if  the  plan  met  with  favor. 
Thus  far  only  ten  organizations  of  Excel  Bands  have  been 
formed."  We  have  no  means  of  knowing  how  many  were 
organized  in  all.  The  writer  was  connected  with  two  that  con- 
tinued for  some  years.  They  gradually  gave  way  to  the  young 
and  vigorous  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  The  Excel  Band 
probably  preceded  by  a  few  months  the  Christian  Endeavor, 
but  lil<e  the  Sabbath  school  of  Ludwig  Hocker,  as  compared 
to  the  Sunday-school  of  Robert  Raikes,  it  did  not  have  so 
-Strong  support,  and  |)robably  was  not  so  thoroughly  organized. 

IN    CONCLUSION, 

(  I  )  We  have  attempted  not  only  to  give  this  general  his- 
tory of  Sabbath  school  work,  but  t(i  gather  a  history  of  the 
sejjarate  schools.  This  proved  to  be  too  voluminous  to  lie 
printed  in  this  volume,  but  typewritten  copies  including  this 
histor\-   of   the    general    work,     together     with     the     individual 


282  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

schools  SO  far  as  we  have  succeeded  in  getting  them,  are  placed 
in  the  libraries  of  Alfred  University  and  Milton  and  Salem 
Colleges  for  reference.  Many  of  these  individual  school  his- 
tories have  been  contributed  entirely  or  in  part  from  the  mem- 
ory of  aged  people,  where  the  records  had  not  been  kept  or  have 
since  been  lost.  These  histories  contain  much  valuable  mat- 
ter that  otherwise  must  have  perished  with  this  rapidly  disap- 
pearing generation. 

(2)  We  wish  to  urge  upon  the  attention  of  our  Sab- 
hath  schools  the  need  of  having  all  the  acts  of  the  scholars, 
together  with  items  of  school  interest  carefully  recorded  and 
preserved,  as  matters  that  will  be  of  great  value  to  succeeding 
generations.  It  has  been  impossible  to  find  any  reliable  ac- 
counts of  the  beginnings  of  some  of  our  important  schools. 
We  suggest  that  competent  and  faithful  secretaries  be  select- 
ed to  hold  the  office  as  permanently  as  possible. 

(3)  The  following  are  a  few  condensed  statements  re- 
garding our  schools : 

From  the  best  obtainable  evidence  some  of  our  schools" 
were  organized  in  the  second  decade  of  the  last  century. 
There  was  evidently  a  widespread  interest  in  Sabbath  school 
work,  which  increased  and  intensified  until  the  last  quarter, 
and  formed  one  of  the  great  religious  movements  of  the 
Christian  era. 

(4)  We  have  been  assisted  in  this  work  by  those  who 
have  kindly  prepared  the  original  school  histories,  which  have 
sometimes  been  condensed  or  added  to  ;  to  bring  them  into  some 
degree  of  uniformity.  The  Vice-Presidents  of  the  different 
associations :  Moses  H.  A'an  Horn,  of  Salem,  W.  Va. ;  Rev. 
Lucias  R.  Swinney,  DeRuyter,  N.  Y. ;  Rev.  Herman  D.  Clarke. 
Dodge  Centre,  IStinn.,  and  JNIiss  Elizabeth  Fisher,  of  Fouke, 
Arkansas,  have  solicited  and  gathered  histories  from  the 
schools  of  their  respective  associations,  while  Mrs.  H.  M.  Max- 
son,  of  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  has  also  re-edited  the  reports  from 
the  Eastern  Association,  and  others  in  various  ways  have  con- 
tributed their  assistance  toward  the  work. 

(5)  The  Bible  school  has  often  been  the  foundation  of 
tlie  church  :  it  should  always  be  its  nursery,  its  strength. 

(6)  Read    the    Conference    minutes   and     see    how     the 


SAI'.MATII     SCHOOL     I'.OARD.  283 

late  George  H.  Babcock,  in  his  report  for  the  Sabbath  School 
Board  in  1878  and  1886  claimed  that  revivals  followed  in  the 
associations  where  the  sessions  of  the  General  Conference 
were  held,  showing'  the  influence  of  Conference  especially  on 
our  youth. 

(7)  The  greatest  lesson  perhaps  of  all  is  the  grand  o]v 
portunity  given  Sabbath  school  officers  and  teachers  of  teach- 
ing God's  living  word  and  impressing  the  souls  of  thousands 
•of  Sabbath  school  scholars,  largely  our  young  people  as  they 
come  weekly  before  them  in  our  Bible  schools. 

I.    L.    COTTRELL. 

HISTORY   OF   THE    SABBATH    SCHOOLS    OF    THE 
EASTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

So  few  of  our  Sabbath  schools  have  any  record  of  organi- 
zation and  subsequent  history  that  the  account  of  the  schools 
of  the  Eastern  Association  must  of  necessity  be  incomplete.  We 
have  had  some  report  from  thirteen  of  our  sixteen  schools, 
though  some  reports  were  too  meager  to  be  of  much  value  and 
from  others  we  were  able  to  get  no  response.  It  is  known  by 
tradition,  however,  that  Sabbath  schools  have  been  held  at 
some  time  in  connection  with  nearly  all  our  churches. 

WATERFORD,   CONX.       1 827    (  ?) 

Though  there  is  no  written  record  of  a  school  here  before 
1878,  the  older  members  are  positive  that  one  was  organized 
about  1827.     There  is  now  a  membership  of  fifty-six. 

Cortland  Rogers,  R.  C.  Davis,  Earle  Darrow  and  Andrew 
Potter  have  been  connected  with  this  church  and  are  well 
known  as  faithful  ministers  throughout  the  denomination.  Miss 
Lena  Burdick  has  been  engaged  in  the  work  i»f  a  home  mis- 
sionary. 

l-'IKST    llOl'KIN  roX,   ASIIAWAN'.   R.    I.        1 8^0. 

The  first  school  of  which  we  ha\c  any  written  rccorvl  is 
that  of  the  First  Ilopkinton,  which  was  organized  in  1830. 
I'revious  to  this  time,  the  churcli  liad  been  using  the  West- 
minster Catechism  for  the  instruction  of  the  children  in  reli- 
gious matters,  but  .some  of  tlie  church  members  lh( night  tliis 


284  SEVENTII-DAV     l!A  I'TIS«IS  : 

(lid  not  contain  just  the  right  kind  of  teaching,  for  Seventh- 
day  Baptists.  They  decided  to  have  a  school  of  their  own 
where  their  children  could  receive  instruction  in  Bible  truths, 
and  the  principles  of  their  own  faith,  and  this  Sabbath  school 
was  the  result.  A  library  of  well-selected  and  instructive  books 
was  connected  with  the  school  and  this  as  well  as  the  school 
itself  met  with  considerable  opposition  from  the  older  church 
members. 

According  to  the  diary  of  Miss  Maria  L.  Potter,  one  of 
the  first  teachers  of  the  school,  Mr.  Boggs,  of  New  Jersey,  an 
agent  of  the  Sunday-school  Union,  visited  the  church  on  June 
5,  1830,  for  the  purpose  of  interesting  the  people  in  Bible 
school'  work  and  with  the  hope  of  organizing  a  school  in  this 
I^lace.  Probably  as  a  result  of  this  visit,  the  school  was  organ- 
ized with  Hon.  Jacob  D.  Babcock  as  leader.  The  early  teach- 
ers beside  the  leaders  were  Aliss  Emeline  Truman  ( Mrs. 
Joseph  Crandall.  of  Westerly),  Maria  and  Sarah  Potter,  Mary 
snd  Emily  Babcock,  Lavinia  Lanphear.  Aliss  Maria  L.  Potter, 
of  Potter  Hill;  Peter  C.  and  Silas  C.  Wells.  "So,  as  the  gen- 
erations have  come  and  gone,  the  school  has.  I  think,  been  well 
sustained  and  all  in  all  has  been  a  strong  supporter  in  church 
work."  (Mrs.  H.  B.  Cundall.  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Jacob ^D. 
Babcock.) 

SECOND    HOPKIXTOX,    HOPKINTON    CITY,    R.    I.        184O. 

This  school  was  organized  probably  about  1840,  during 
the  ministry  of  Elder  John  Greene.  It  now  has  a  meml)er- 
ship  of  sixty,  with  five  teachers. 

^[ARLBORO,  X.  J.  1840. 
In  1840,  when  Rev.  David  Clawson  was  pastor  of  the 
church,  the  Sabbath  school  was  organized.  Question  books 
'vere  in  use  during  the  early  history  of  the  school  when  the 
questioning  was  conducted  by  the  pastor  of  the  church.  This 
method  was  followed  by  the  regular  lesson  helps.  The  school 
now  numbers  about  sixty.  The  names  of  Joseph  C.  Bowen, 
John  G.  Hummell.  Eber  Davis.  Rev.  Perie  R.  Burdick  are  a 
few  of  the  names  among  the  workers  since  i860.  (All 
records  previous  to  this  date  have  been  lost.) 

Miss  Elizal)eth  A.  Fisher  (Davis),  a  member  of  the  school, 
spent  a  year  in  mission  work  in   Arkansas. 


SAni'.ATII     SCHOOL    UOARD.  285 

I'LAIXFIKLl),    X.    J-        1841. 

The  Sal)bath  scliool  at  J^lainfield  was  organized  in  1841 
In-  ]\Ir.  Thomas  S.  Albcrti  and  conducted  by  him  for  four 
years.  During  this  time  he  filled  the  offices  of  Superintendent, 
Secretary,  Librarian  and  teacher  of  the  Bible  class. 

The  school  has  been  fortunate  in  having  superintendents 
who  held  the  office  for  many  years.  William  Dunn  was  Su- 
jjerintendent  for  fifteen  years,  beginning  in  1846.  George  If. 
Babcock  filled  the  office  for  nine  years,  from  1874  to  1883, 
and  David  E.  Titsworth  lias  been  Superintendent,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one  year,  since  1883.  This  ])eriod  of  service  is  the 
longest  in  the  history  of  the  school,  and  to  his  faithful  and 
untiring  labor  in  that  ca]xicity  is  due  the  high  standard  main- 
tained by  the  school. 

The  membership  of  the  school  is  about  one  hundred,  with 
sixteen  teachers.  Three  of  these  are  in  the  Primary  Depart- 
ment with  Mrs.  John  P.  Alosher  as  Primary  Sui)erintendent. 

In  Januarx'.  1899,  the  Home  Department  began  work  un- 
der the  efficient  leadership  of  ]\Iiss  Nan  Randolph  as  Superin- 
tendent, assisted  by  ten  visitors.  Aside  from  interesting 
many  in  the  systematic  study  of  the  Sabbath  school  lesson  at 
home,  the  contributions  from  this  branch  of  the  work  aid  ma- 
terially in  ]ja\  ing  the  current  expenses  of  the  school  and  hel])- 
ing  benevolent  objects.  Though  this  branch  of  the  school  is 
still  young,  the  result  already  attained  is  most  gratifying. 

Since  its  introduction  in  1873,  the  International  series  of 
lessons  have  been  used.  The  following  helps  are  jirovided  for 
the  school:  Tlic  Hcjpiui^  Hand.  The  Sahhafli  I'isifor  and 
The  Siindiiy-school  Times  is  furnishec]  for  the  teachers.  In 
the  Primary  De])artment,  The  Schohir's  Mai;;a.::iin\  rietiirr 
Lesson  Lcarcs,  Berean  Leaf  Chister  and  Pietnre  Cards  have 
been  used.  In  i8<;5.  the  sand  map  was  introduced  and  in  i8()8 
Mrs.  Craft's  Kindci-i^arten  Sewiii<^  Cards  and  lite  Triinary 
Class  and  Kinder '^arfeii  Illustrated  Lesson  Leaflets,  published 
bv  the  M.  \\.  i'ublishing  I  louse,  lioston.  Mass. 

'idle  school  lias  contributed  from  the  treasury,  after  pay- 
ing the  regular  running  expenses,  to  many  objects  of  denomi- 
national and  local  interest.  The  Missionary  and  Tract  So- 
cieties,   State    and    Countv     Siniday-school     work,     ("bildren's 


286  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

Home,  Hospital,  Relief  Association,  Fresh  Air  work,  temper- 
ance work  in  Holland,  hospital  bed  in  Shanghai,  evangelistic 
work,  India  famine  fund,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  army  work,  Sabbath 
Evangelizing  and  Industrial  Association,  and  Southern  Schools 
are  some  of  the  ways  in  which  the  interest  has  been  shown  in 
a  material  way. 

Special  services  of  the  school  are  held  on  Decision  Day, 
Easter  and  Christmas. 

On  February  i6,  1901,  Mr.  Jacob  F.  Bakker,  an  active 
and  faithful  member  of  our  school,  w^as  set  apart  to  do  mission 
work  in  British  Central  Africa. 

Our  Superintendent,  Mr.  D.  E.  Titsworth,  has  been  prom- 
inently connected  with  the  State  Sunday-school  Association, 
having  been  elected  Vice-President  of  that  body  in  1898,  and 
given  a  place  on  important  committees. 

PAWCATUCK    (westerly,  R.   I.),       1843. 

On  February  4,  1843,  ^  meeting  was  held  by  the  church 
to  make  arrangements  for  a  Bible  class.  This  Bible  class  soon 
developed  into  a  Sabbath  school,  which  was  formally  organized 
December  12,  1843,  '^^'ith  Dr.  Henry  W.  Stillman,  now  of  Ed- 
gerton,  Wisconsin,  as  Superintendent.  His  first  report,  dated 
February  17,  1846,  gives  the  whole  number  of  scholars  as  78, 
and  the  attendance  as  50.  There  were  150  volumes  in  the  lib- 
rary and  the  total  expenses  to  date  had  been  $32.50  and  the 
receipts  $29.49. 

The  present  membership  is  160,  with  an  average  attend- 
ance of  100. 

The  Primary  Department  use  chart  and  lesson  leaves,  the 
Intermediate  use  the  Cook  International  Lessons  with  the  Sab- 
bath Visitor  in  both  these  departments.  The  other  classes  use 
the  Helping  Hand. 

The  following  members  of  the  school  have  been  promi- 
nent in  denominational  work :  Rev.  L.  A.  Platts,  Hon.  George 
H.  Utter,  Henry  M.  Maxson,  Charles  Potter,  George  H.  Bab- 
cock,  Rev.  O.  b.  Whitford,  Rev.  W.  C.  Daland,  Dr.  A.  H. 
Lewis.  Rev.  George  B.  Utter,  Professor  W.  A.  Rogers,  Rev. 
George  E.  Tomlinson,  Rev.  S.  H.  Davis. 


'  SAI'.l'.ATII     SCHOOL    liOAKI).  287 

.\i:\v  >[arki:t,  x.  j.      iI^44. 

The  Sabbath  school  at  Xew  ^Market  was  organized  in  1844 
ck:ring  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  W'aher  B.  Gillette,  who  was  also 
Superintendent  of  the  school.  The  following  men  and  women 
were  instrumental  in  organizing  the  school  and  were  the  first 
teachers :  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette,  Jeremiah  Dunham,  Lewis 
C.  Dunn,  Isaac  X.  Dunn,  Mrs.  Rachael  M.  Davis,  ]\Irs.  Han- 
nah A.  Dunn,  Susan  Dunn,  Mrs.  Cornelia  M.  Dunn  and  Ann 
Dunn  (colored). 

At  the  time  of  organization  the  school  had  about  sixty 
members.  It  now  has  sixty-nine.  The  largest  enrollment, 
one  hundred  and  ten,  was  in  1890. 

The  school  is  divided  into  eight  classes,  two  of  these  (pri- 
mary classes)  occupying  a  separate  room. 

The  Helping  Hand,  Peloubet's  Notes,  Cook's  Publications 
for  Primary  Classes  and  International  Quarterly  are  the  les- 
son helps  in  use. 

Wardner  C.  Titsworth  was  one  of  our  faithful  ministers 
of  the  gospel  and  a  member  of  this  school, 

ROCKVILLE,  R.  I.       1845. 

The  school  was  organized  in  1845,  (hiring  the  ministry  of 
Rev.  A.  B.  Burdick,  who  filled  the  office  of  Superintendent  un- 
til 1849.  Previous  to  1871,  the  superintendents  were  appoint- 
ed by  the  church,  but  since  that  time  the  school  has  elected  its 
own  officers.     The  school  now  has  about  fifty  members. 

MYSTIC,  CONX.     1850. 

There  arc  no  records  of  this  school,  though  it  is  known 
tliat  there  has  been  one  connected  with  the  church,  since  its  or- 
ganization in  1850,  with  sessions  held  throughout  the  year. 

NEW    YORK,    X.    Y.       1 876, 

The  Sal)bath  school  of  the  Xew  York  church  was  organ- 
ized probably  January  i6,  1876,  with  Frank  II.  Stillman  Su- 
perintendent and  Mrs.  Phoebe  J.  B.  Wait  as  Assistant  Super- 
intendent. At  this  time.  Rev.  Lucius  Crandall  was  supplying 
the  pulpit.  The  school  was  divided  into  two  classes,  with  six 
or  seven  in  the  Junior  class  and  ten  ^r  fifteen  in  the  Senior. 
The  school  now  has  fortv-one  members. 


288  SEVENTH-DAY    RAPTISTS  : 

SIIILOH,    N.    J. 

No  record  of  a  Sabbath  school  at  Shiloh  could  be  obtain- 
ed previous  to  1885,  though  it  is  probable  that  a  Sabbath  School 
existed  there  for  many  years  before  that  time. 

The  school  has  Christmas  entertainments  and  special  ser- 
vices at  Easter,  Children's  Day  and  Thanksgiving. 

The  Helping  Hand  is  used  in  the  Intermediate  and  a  Pri- 
mary Quarterly  in  the  Primary  Department. 

The  school  now  has  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and 
sixty-three  with  a  Home  Department  of  about  forty-five  mem- 
bers. 

Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  Mrs.  Davis,  Dr.  Ellen  Swinney, 
Rev.  S.  O.  and  Mrs.  Carpenter  in  China  and  Elder  William 
M.  Jones  in  England  have  been  members  of  the  school. 

DAYTON  A,  FLORIDA.       189O. 

A  Bible  class  composed  of  the  winter  residents  was  or- 
ganized at  Daytona  about  1890,  and  has  continued  to  hold  its 
sessions  since  then  during  the  four  or  five  months  of  cold 
weather.  As  there  is  no  church  building  or  organization,  the 
class  meets  at  the  home  of  the  members.  Since  1898  the  class 
has  been  taught  by  Miss  Amelia  Potter  and  occasionally  in 
her  absence  by  Mrs.  D.  D.  Rogers.  A  general  attendance  of 
winter  residents  and  visitors  has  made  the  average  attendance 
from  eighteen  to  twenty.  The  contributions  have  averaged 
about  $20  annually  and  have  been  used  for  denominational 
benevolent  purposes.  The  lesson  helps  used  are  the  Sabbath 
School  Quarterlies,  Sunday-sehool  Times  and  others. 

CUMBERLAND,   N.  C.       189I. 

Previous  to  the  organization  of  the  Sabbath  school  in 
1891,  religious  services  had  been  held  only  once  a  month  and 
it  was  largely  due  to  the  efiforts  of  Elder  J.  L.  Hufifman,  who 
had  been  holding  revival  meetings  in  the  vicinity,  that  the  peo- 
ple decided  to  meet  every  week  for  the  study  of  the  Bible. 

June  6,  1891.  the  Cumberland  Seventh-day  Baptist  Bible 
School  was  organized  with  fourteen  members.  Three  of 
them  are  colored  people  who  came  to  the  Sabbath  about  the 
time  of  Elder  Hufl'man's  visit.  They  were  Methodists,  al- 
though they  observed  the  Sabbath.  (Only  two  of  these  re- 
mained faithful  to  the  Sabbath.) 
(18) 


SAP.r.ATII    SCHOOL    UOAKl).  289 

Elder  David  X.  Xewton,  who  was  pastor  of  the  church 
at  the  time  the  school  was  organized,  was  chosen  Superintend- 
ent and  ]Miss  Emily  P.  Xewton  was  appointed  Secretary.  Both 
liave  retained  these  offices  ever  since. 

It  was  agreed  at  the  organization  of  the  school  that  each 
of  the  members  in  turn,  if  he  wished  to,  should  choose  the 
topic  and  chapter  for  study  for  each  Sabbath  and  should  have 
the  opportunit}'  of  expressing  his  views  on  the  subject.  Such 
subjects  as  The  Moral  Law,  Obedience,  The  Word  ]\Iade 
Flesh,  (iiving.  What  is  Sin?  and  many  others  were  consid- 
ered. Sometimes  the  order  is  varied  by  having  a  Bible  read- 
ing instead  of  the  regular  lesson. 

It  is  thought  that  more  good  is  gained  by  tlie  direct  study 
of  the  Bible  than  in  any  other  way  and  the  class  is  composed 
of  those  who  love  to  search  the  Scriptures  and  manifest  a  good 
degree  of  interest  in  such  a  study. 

The  school  now  numbers  fourteen,  most  of  whom  are 
church  members.  When  the  Bible  school  was  first  organized 
there  was  only  one  class,  as  the  members  were  all  adults,  but 
in  1892.  a  small  class  of  four  members  was  formed  wnth  jMiss 
Emily  P.  X'^ewton  as  teacher.  These  are  now^  in  the  Bible  class, 
so  there  is  again  only  one  class,  except  on  rare  occasions.  Three 
members  of  this  Primary  class  have  since  become  members  of 
the  church. 

CEXTRAL  ASSOCIATIOX. 

SCOTT,   N.  Y. 

The  early  records  of  the  Scott  Sabbath  school  have  been 
lost  and  much  of  the  following  is  necessarily  from  memory. 
The  school  was  organized  by  Dea.  John  Maxson  about  1828, 
who  was  its  first  Superintendent.  I  lis  successor  was  Jerome 
R.  Babcock,  who  served  many  years.  ( )ther  Superintendents 
have  been  Alonzo  I).  C.  I)arber,  John  P)arber,  Thomas  Dye, 
Rev.  W.  M.  Jones,  Rev.  J.  E.  X.  I'.ackus,  Rev.  A.  W.  Coon, 
Rev.  J.  B.  Clarke,  S.  T.  W.  Potter,  Rev.  B.  F.  Rogers.  E.  H.  P. 
Potter,  George  'S\.  Frisbie,  Stennett  C.  Stillman,  Mrs.  .\.  T. 
Stillman,  Rev.  J.  White.  Mrs.  M.  A.  Burdick.  Miss  Estelle 
Babcock,  Rev.  F.  O.  fUirdick,  C.  F.  Cobb.  Rev.  J.  A.  Platts. 
Mrs.  Adelia  ]\Iaxson,  Ernest  L.  Barber,  Mrs,  D.  D.  L.  I'.urdick 


29Q  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

and  Rev.  J.  T.  Davis.  This  list  is  made  up  from  very  imper- 
fect records,  but  supplemented  by  the  memory  of  Dea.  E.  H. 
P.  Potter,  now  over  eighty  years  old.  In  the  fifties  ah  essay 
and  a  declamation  formed  a  part  of  the  weekly  exercises. 

Several  revivals  have  passed  through  the  Sabbath  school 
into  the  church,  notably  in  1861.  Rev.  J.  B.  Clarke  and  Rev. 
A.  H.  Lewis,  as  well  as  many  prominent  laymen  came  from 
the  Scott  Sabbath  school.  The  school  is  now  quite  small,  as 
compared  with  former  years,  but  its  members  are  brave  and 
hopeful. 

FIRST  BROOKFIELD   (lEONARDSVILLE,  N.  Y.) 

The  first  record  obtainable  of  the  Sabbath  school  of  this 
church  is  from  the  minutes  of  a  church  meeting  at  which  $15.70 
was  appropriated  for  the  Question  Book  compiled  and  sold  by 
order  of  the  Conference,  from  .which  it  would  appear  that  the 
school  was  organized  about  the  year  1840.  The  first  Superin- 
tendent was  Amanda,  wife  of  Rev.  W.  B.  Maxson.  Other 
Superintendents  to  the  present  time  have  been  William  A.  Bab- 
cock,  Ransom  T.  Stillman,  Amos  B.  Spalding,  J.  Delos  Rog- 
ers, John  T.  Rogers,  Norman  L.  Burdick,  Sands  C.  Maxson, 
Edwin  Whitford,  Francis  L.  Clarke,  Abert  Whitford,  Alfred 
T.  Stillman  and  Ethel  A.  Haven. 

Members  of  the  school  who  afterwards  became  ministers 
were  Charles  M.  Lewis,  Henry  B.  Lewis,  Joel  West,  William 
Clarke  Whitford,  George  J.  Crandall,  Oscar  U.  Whitford  and 
Henry  D.  Clarke.  The  following  have  been  Presidents  of 
Conference:  Amos  B.  Spaulding,  Henry  D.  Babcock  and 
Sands  C.  iNIaxson. 

ADAMS  CENTER,   N.   Y. 

The  Sabbath  school  of  this  church  was  organized  on  J\Iay 
1st,  1852,  by  Rev.  James  Summerbell,  the  pastor  of  the  church. 
The  officers  at  that  time  were :  Superintendent,  James  Sum- 
merbell ;  Assistant  Superintendent,  Nelson  Babcock ;  Chorister, 
Librarian  and  Secretary,  O.  D.  Greene.  The  school  was  or- 
ganized with  thirteen  classes.  In  1901  the  school  consisted  of 
seventeen  classes  with  a  membership  of  196  and  an  average 
attendance  of  115.  The  present  officers  are:  Superintendent, 
O.  D.  Greene,  Jr. ;  Assistant  Superintendent.  Grant  ^^^  Davis ; 
Chorister,  Roy  D.  Greene. 


SABBATH    SCHOOL    BOARD.  2C)l 

BROOKFIELD,   X.    Y. 

This  school  was  organized  probably  in  the  first  years  of 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Todd,  between  1858  and  1861.  As 
early  as  1865  there  were  two  schools  in  active  operation,  one 
at  the  site  of  the  old  North  Church,  four  miles  north  of  the 
village  of  Brookfield,  where  the  first  church  building  was  erect- 
ed in  1822 ;  and  the  other  in  the  village.  Rev.  J.  M.  Todd  and 
Dea.  Collins  Miller  were  Superintendents  of  the  old  North 
Church  school,  and  C.  V.  Hibbard  and  DeWitt  C.  Coon  of  the 
village  school.  The  list  of  Superintendents  since  1868  is  as 
follows :  Edwin  Whitford,  C.  E.  Clarke,  J.  ^I.  Todd,  H.  L. 
Spooner,  \Y.  J.  ^^^hitford,  H.  C.  Brown,  W.  C.  Whitford,  C. 
A.  Burdick,  L.  P.  Curtis,  O.  S.  Rogers  and  E.  E.  Whitford. 
Some  of  the  secretaries  have  been  Mrs.  J.  A.  Clarke,  Julia  C. 
Babcock,  R.  B.  Church,  Hattie  Greene,  Alice  jMiller,  Hattie 
Stillman,  Fannie  E.  Clarke,  jNIerletta  Langworthy,  Mabel 
Langworthy,  William  Bond  and  Clarence  Beebe.  Members 
of  the  school  who  have  become  ministers  are  :  George  J.  Cran- 
dall,  David  P.  Curtis  and  William  Calvin  Whitford.  The 
present  membership  of  the  school  is  98. 

SECOND  VERONA,  N.  Y. 

This  Sabbath  school  was  organized  August  12,  1876.  Its 
first  officers  were:  Francis  Mills,  Superintendent;  George 
Hunt,  Assistant;  Mrs.  E.  Witter,  Treasurer;  Mrs.  Francis 
]\Iills,  Secretary,  and  Frank  Williams,  Chorister,  The  school 
has  sufifered  much  by  reason  of  many  removals  from  the  so- 
ciety, but  still  maintains  its  regular  work.  The  few  who  re- 
main are  strong  in  their  faith  in  God  and  their  love  for  the 
Bible. 

UTICA.  N.  Y. 

The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Sabbath  school  of  Utica  had  its 
beginning  in  the  spring  of  1888.  There  were  a  part  of  four 
families  that  could  be  depended  on  to  gather  on  Sabbath  after- 
noon at  the  home  of  some  Sabbath-keeper  to  study  the  Sab- 
bath school  lesson.  The  prime  mover  in  this  work  was  Dr. 
Sands  C.  Maxson.  Slowly  the  company  grew.  After  some 
\ears  it  was  thought  best  to  have  the  assistance  of  a  minister 
and  arrangements  were  made  with  the  \'erona  churches  to 
have  the  pastor  of  those  churches.  Rev.  Joshua  Clarke,  visit 


292  SEVENTH-DAV    HAPTISTS  : 

Utica  on  one  Sabbath  of  each  month.  This  plan  was  continued 
till  the  death  of  Elder  Clarke,  who  preached  his  last  sermon 
in  the  parlor  of  Dr.  ]\Iaxson  at  22  Grant  street. 

A  similar  arrangement  was  continued  through  the  pas- 
torates at  Verona  of  Rev.  Martin  Sindall  and  Rev.  George 
W.  Lewis.  At  the  present  time,  1902,  Rev.  W.  C.  Daland 
visits  this  Sabbath  school  occasionally,  coming  from  Leonards- 
ville.  The  membership  July  20  was  17.  The  Bible  school  in 
Utica  has  been  and  still  is  a  source  of  great  good. 

WATSON,   N.   Y. 

In  1873  the  school  at  Watson  is  reported  to  Conference 
as  follows :  vSuperintendent,  Thomas  R.  Reed ;  number  of 
pupils,  40 ;  number  of  teachers,  7 ;  number  of  officers,  5 ;  aver- 
age attendance,  30;  volumes  in  library,  75;  copies  of  children's 
paper  taken,  7. 

At  the  present  time  there  is  a  small  school  with  Rev. 
Madison  Harry  as  Superintendent  and  teacher. 

FIRST  VERONA,  VERONA,   X.  Y. 

This  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1842,  or  possibly 
a  year  or  two  later,  by  Mr.  C.  M.  Lewis.  It  was  known  as 
the  Bible  class.  The  Bible  was  used  as  a  text  book.  The 
records  have  been  lost.  On  May  5th,  1877,  the  school  was 
reorganized  with  E.  S.  Bennett  as  Superintendent  and  William 
H.  Lewis  as  Assistant.  On  June  8th,  1878,  the  school  was 
visited  by  the  Sabbath  School  Board,  consisting  of  Stephen 
Burdick,  E.  P.  Larkin,  D.  K.  Davis,  J.  Clarke  and  J.  L.  Huff- 
man. At  that  time  the  membership  of  the  school  was  60.  In 
December,  1879,  Rev.  O.  D.  Sherman  visited  and  addressed 
the  school.  At  that,  time  there  were  six  classes.  The  follow- 
ing is  the  list  of  Superintendents :  E.  S.  Bennett,  Rev.  J.  E. 
N.  Backus,  W.  C.  Perry,  Harriet  Greene,  O.  A.  Williams,  H. 
W.  Palmiter,  A.  A.  Thyer,  O.  J.  Davis  and  Mrs.  E.  C.  Lea. 
At  present  there  are  about  eighty  scholars  enrolled  in  eight 
classes.  E.  S.  Bennett  is  the  Superintendent.  The  outlook 
as  reported  is  very  encouraging. 

SYRACUSE,    N.    Y. 

Seventh-day  Baptist  Bible  class  work  began  at  Sherman 
Park,  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  city,  in  1894,  when  Miss 
G.  A.  Cross  gathered  together  on  the  Sabbath    some  of  the 


SABDATH    SCIIOOr.    r.OAKI).  293 

children  of  the  neighborhood  and  taught  them  from  the  Bible. 
In  May,  1805,  Rev.  L.  R.  Swinney,  of  DeRuyter,  began 
preaching  at  Sherman  Park  and  a  new  Bible  class  was  formed. 
With  a  few  breaks  this  has  continued  to  the  present  time 
(1902).  The  meeting  is  held  at  some  private  house,  on  Sab- 
bath afternoon  or  on  Friday  night. 

A  second  effort  at  Seventh-day  Baptist  Bible  class  work 
in  Syracuse  began  May  7th,  1898,  at  the  office  of  Dr.  F.  L. 
Irons,  who  had  recently  located  at  117  Grace  street.  These 
meetings  were  also  held  at  private  houses  on  Sabbath  after- 
noon. Sometimes  there  have  been  union  meetings  of  the  Cen- 
tral class  with  the  Sherman  Park  class  and  they  are  usually  re- 
ported as  one  school. 

DERUYTER,    X.   Y. 

The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Sabbath  school  of  DeRuyter  has 
a  large  and  honored  place  in  our  Sabbath  school  history  be- 
cause of  the  prominent  persons  who  have  been  its  leaders  and 
teachers.  The  early  records  have  been  lost  and  the  faithful 
workers  of  those  early  days  have  all  gone  to  their  reward. 
Soon  after  the  erection  of  the  church  building  in  1833  there 
was  a  revival.  It  was  felt  that  the  converts  and  especially  the 
children  should  be  taught  the  Bible.  These  were  invited  to 
stay  after  the  morning  service  and  were  taught  in  one  class 
by  one  teacher.  About  this  time  the  question  of  Sabbath 
schools  was  being  agitated  in  the  public  papers  and  a  school 
was  organized  at  DeRuyter  with  two  classes,  one  for  adults 
and  one  for  children.  The  leading  spirit  in  this  was  Rev.  Al- 
exander Campbell.  In  1837  DeRuyter  Institute  was  opened 
and  the  Sabbath  school  quickly  felt  the  effect  of  the  presence 
of  many  men  and  women  of  the  highest  ideals.  The  Sabbath 
school  at  DeRuyter  was  indeed  fortunate.  Listen  to  the  roll 
call  of  those  honored  names — Alexander  Campbell,  Henry 
Crandall,  Solomon  Carpenter  and  wife,  Giles  M.  Langworthy, 
James  Bailey,  James  R.  Irish,  Josephine  Wilcox,  Miranda 
Fisher,  Efla  Weaver.  W.  C.  Whitford,  Albert  Whitford,  L.  C. 
Rogers,  E.  M.  Dunn.  O.  U.  Whitford,  B.  G.  Stillman,  J.  15. 
Wells,  D.  Delos  Wells.  George  E.  Tomlinson,  John  Maxson, 
C.  H.  Maxson,  H.  D.  Maxson,  Stephen  Burdick.  \\'iniam  A. 
Rogers,  L.  E.  Livcrmore,   Henry  C.   Coon,   .S.   \\".     Maxson, 


294  SEVEx\TH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Joshua  Clarke,  J.  H.  Babcock,  L.  R.  Swinney,  Mrs.  George  \\\ 
Burdick,  George  A.  Stillman,  Mrs.  Marie  S.  Stillman,  C.  J. 
York  and  many  others  of  whom  time  would  fail  to  tell. 

As  would  be  expected,  this  school  was,  especially  during 
the  years  of  the  prosperity  of  DeRuyter  Institute,  the  best  of 
its  time.  In  the  70  years  of  its  history  there  have  been  three 
distinct  periods  marked  by  different  methods  of  Bible  instruc- 
tion. 

The  first  extended  to  about  1870  and  might  be  called  "The 
Memorizing  Period."  In  this  method  the  Bible  study  con- 
sisted almost  entirely  of  committing  to  memory  and  reciting 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  The  small  children  learned  one  verse 
each  week  and  the  older  ones  seven  or  more.  The  bright  ones 
would  often  learn  a  whole  chapter.  Verses  of  hymns  were 
also  learned  and  recited.  Thus  the  time  of  the  class  was  large- 
ly taken  up  by  hearing  the  members  recite  to  the  teacher.  This 
plan  has  its  advantages  and  should  not  be  entirely  given  up. 
but  another  and  better  method  took  its  place,  a  method  which 
required  thought  and  study.  This  new  period,  which  lasted  in 
the  DeRuyter  school  for  about  ten  years,  might  be  called  "The 
Question  and  Answer  Period."  The  thoughtful  teacher  who 
did  not  want  to  hear  the  scholar  repeat  mechanically  the  Scrip- 
tures began  to  ask  questions  on  its  deeper  and  spiritual  mean- 
ing. This  soon  led  to  the  adoption  of  printed  question  and  an- 
swer books.  In  this  exercise  the  whole  class  joined.  The  De- 
Ruyter school  began  the  study  of  Matthew  about  i860  and  fol- 
lowed it  15  years.  Then  they  used  the  question  books  printed 
by  the  American  Tract  Society  and  also  the  Mimpriss  Series. 
The  adoption  of  a  definite  passage  for  study  by  the  school, 'or  of 
a  question  book,  made  it  easy  and  natural  to  have  a  teachers' 
meeting  and  also  weekly  and  quarterly  reviews  in  which  the 
DeRuyter  Sabbath  school  has  done  noble  work  through  the  fol- 
lowing years. 

As  the  memorizing  method  prepared  the  way  for  the  ques- 
tion and  answer  method,  so  this  in  turn  was  a  preparation  for 
the  uniform  International  vSeries  with  its  selections  from  the 
whole  Bible,  its  vast  array  of  helps  and  all  the  blessed  spiritual 
results  that  have  followed.  The  DeRuyter  school  adopted  the 
new  system  about  1877  and  has  used  it  heartily  ever  since.  At- 


SABBATH    SCHOOL    BOARD.  295 

tention  ought  to  be  called  to  the  publication,  at  DeRuyter,  for 
many  years,  by  Rev.  J.  E.  N.  Backus,  of  The  Sabbath  School 
Gem.  The  school  reached  its  greatest  numbers  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Joshua  Clarke,  when  there  were  more 
than  one  hundred  scholars  enrolled  and  an  average  attendance 
of  seventy-five.  Though  greatly  reduced  in  number  the 
school  is  still  doing  good  work. 

WESTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

HARTSVILLE,    X.    Y. 

In  1834  or  1835  H-  P-  Burdick,  a  member  of  the  First 
-Alfred  Sabbath  school,  gave  out  notice  in  the  school  house 
near  liis  home  of  his  plan  to  form  a  Bible  class.  Six  persons 
responded.  From  year  to  year  the  class  grew.  ]\Iiss  Eliza 
Potter  and  A.  R.  Cornwall  were  added  as  assistants.  In  1847 
the  Hartsville  Church  was  organized  with  twenty-three  mem- 
bers, all  of  whom  were  from  the  Bible  class.  About  this  time 
Horace  W.  Palmiter  was  Superintendent.  The  school  was 
held  at  4  o'clock.  Among  its  leaders  were  W.  C.  Kenyon  and 
Jonathan  Allen.  About  1866  Daniel  Whitford  became  Su- 
perintendent. He  gave  the  school  its  real  organization  with 
a  roll,  graded  classes,  officers,  etc.  He  also  kept  up  the  school 
throughout  the  entire  year.  Other  Superintendents  have  been 
D.  K.  Davis,  who  organized  the  Young  Alarried  People's 
Class;  E.  B.  Fisk,  :\Iatthew  Potter,  F.  S.  Whitford,  H.  E. 
Crites  and  C.  P.  Ormsby.  The  present  Superintendent  is 
Mrs.  Hulda  Whitford.  The  enrollment  is  '^'T,  'ind  the  average 
attendance  50. 

FIRST  ALFRED,  ALFRED,  X.  Y. 

There  are  no  records  of  this  school  earlier  than  1863,  yet 
it  is  known  that  there  was  a  school  long  before  that  date,  .\bout 
1838  Dea.  Amos  Crandall  organized  a  school  at  Five  Corners, 
about  two  miles  from  Alfred.  He  was  Superintendent  of  this 
school  for  thirty  years.  He  had  heard  of  a  Sabbath  school, 
but  had  never  seen  one.  A  few  years  after  the  beginning  of 
the  school  at  Five  Corners  one  was  formed  at  the  village  of 
Alfred  by  Rev.  Ray  Greene.  Xo  records  were  kept  in  those 
days.  The  first  record  of  an  election  is  in  1863  and  the  follow- 
ing is  the  list  of  Superintendents  to  the  present  time:     O.  1^. 


296  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Sherman,  S.  C.  Burdick,  Albert  Whitford,  T.  R.  \\'illiams, 
H.  C.  Coon,  A.  H.  Lewis,  I.  L.  Cottrell,  A.  B.  Kenyon,  Charles 
Stillman,  E.  P.  Saunders,  A'.  A.  Baggs,  E.  M.  Tomlinson,  E. 
H.  Lewis,  O.  S.  Rogers,  L.  E.  Livermore,  J.  W.  Crofoot,  B.  F. 
Rogers. 

The  first  record  of  the  school  contains  one  lunidred  and 
fifty  names,  and  there  are  now  on  the  roll  three  hundred  and 
forty-six  names,  besides  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  who 
are  members  of  the  Home  Department  recently  organized  by 
Rev.  A.  E.  i\Iain.  In  the  early  history  of  the  school  literary 
entertainments  were  common.  For  revenue  class  collections 
are  depended  on.  The  money  is  spent  by  and  for  the  school. 
Decision  Day  was  observed  for  the  first  time  in  February,  1902, 
with  the  result  that  several  joined  the  church.  The  lesson 
helps  used  are  The  Helping  Hand,  The  Sabbath  Visitor  and 
71ie  Sunday-school  Times. 

Those  who  were  children  in  the  Sabbath  School  and  have 
since  become  ministers  are  Jonathan  Allen,  Earl  P.  Saunders 
and  Judson  G.  Burdick. 

INDEPENDENCE,  N.  Y. 

There  are  no  records  of  the  early  history  of  the  Independ- 
ence Sabbath  school.  There  are  references  to  the  school  in 
the  very  early  church  records.  The  school  may  have  existed 
before  the  church  was  organized  in  1834.  About  1840  we 
meet  the  name  of  N.  R.  Crandall  and  find  that  the  school  meets 
each  week  during  the  summer  months.  About  1850  a  good 
library  was  in  use.  Since  1868  the  school  has  been  well  at- 
tended throughout  the  entire  year.  For  some  time  we  have 
had  a  good  primary  department.  The  school  is  loyal  to  our 
own  papers  and  "helps."  The  school  meets  following  the 
preaching  service  with  an  attendance  of  about  sixty-five. 

SCIO,  N.  Y. 

A  Sabbath  school  was_organized  in  Scio  in  1842  or  1843 
with  Stephen  Coon  as  leader.  There  was  little  organization 
about  it.  The  school  w-as  not  continued  during  the  winter 
months.  The  school  now  numbers  about  forty  and  is  in  good 
working  condition.  Once  in  two  months  the  school  unites 
with  schools  from  the  IMethodist  and  Disciple  churches,  under 
the  name  of  the  Bible  School  Association,  in  presenting  a  liter- 


SACHATH    SCHOOL    BOARD.  297 

ary  program,  which  is  followed  by  the  discussion  of  some  ques- 
tion. The  list  of  Superintendents  is  incomplete,  but  includes 
the  following  names :  J.  S.  Flint,  Thomas  Williams,  A.  A. 
Place,  E,  D.  Cartwright,  j\Irs.  A.  A.  Place,  A.  E.  Rogers,  John 
Canfield,  Alfred  Benjamin,  iSIinnie  Tuttle,  Myrtle  Hull  and 
E.  B.  Davis. 

SECOND  ALFRED,  ALFRED  STATION',  X.  Y. 

About  sixty  years  ago  a  Bible  school  for  adults  was  con- 
ducted in  Pleasant  Valley.  Among  those  who  led  was  the  late 
E.  P.  Larkin.  The  children  were  first  gathered  in  a  school  in 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Nathan  Wardner,  Mrs.  Wardner  being 
the  Superintendent.  Other  Superintendents  have  been  Selina 
Burdick,  Lyman  Lewis,  F.  ^^'.  Hamilton,  X.  X.  Forbes,  A.  H. 
Lewis,  D.  E.  Maxson,  James  Summerbell,  W.  S.  Edwards, 
Warren  Walker,  W"\\\  Edwards,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Hamilton,  Mrs. 
J.  C.  Edwards.  L.  C.  Rogers,  L.  W.  Lewis,  Eola  Hamilton, 
Charles  Palmer,  Mrs.  S.  E.  Potter,  Mrs.  Rachel  Burdick,  Mrs. 
Eva  Champlin  and  Mrs.  X'^ettie  M.  Prague. 

Special  record  should  be  made  of  the  faithful  service 
throughout  the  entire  history  of  the  Sabbath  school  of  Deacon 
and  ]\Irs.  F.  W.  Hamilton.  The  school  has  been  carried  on 
about  as  other  schools  and  has  had  little  of  special  historic 
\alue  come  to  its  records.  It  is  a  wide-awake,  up-to-date  and 
loyal  school. 

IIKDROX,  PA. 

The  Sabbath  school  of  the  First  Seventh-day  Baptist 
church  of  Hebron,  Pa.,  was  organized  July  21.  i84<).  The  fol- 
lowing were  officers:  Superintendent,  li.  S.  Main  ;  Asst.,J.A.R. 
Greenman ;  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  (].  W.  Stillman.  On  De- 
cember I  of  the  same  year  a  constitution  and  l)\-laws  were 
adopted  and  the  following  trustees  were  elected :  William  Hy- 
dorn,  Isaac  Brock  and  A.  R.  Stillman.  At  the  same  time  the 
school  was  "classified"  and  the  following  teachers  were  ap- 
pointed: Orpha  Stillman,  Isaac  IW'ock,  Cordelia  Ilydorn, 
Joel  P.  Crandall.  William  Ilydorn.  IClecta  Stillman.  and  Al- 
mina  Brock.  I'Acn  before  the  constitution  had  been  adopted 
this  school  had  jiurchased  a  library  of  one  hundred  volumes. 
This  has  since  been  enlarged  from  time  to  time  and  has  al- 
wavs  been  a  strong  factor  in  the  intellectual  and  spiritual  life 


298  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

of  the  neighborhood.  On  October  19th,  1867,  a  new  consti- 
tution was  adopted,  which  changed  the  name  and  other  feat- 
ures, which  made  it  a  strictly  denominational  school.  The  ses- 
sions are  held  following  the  church  service  and  are  continued 
throughout  the  entire  year.  On  July  28,  1902,  there  were 
sixty-six  names  on  the  roll  divided  into  five  classes. 

RICHBURG_,   X.   Y. 

The  records  show  that  there  was  a  Sabbath  school  in  Rich- 
burg  as  early  as  1849  under  the  leadership  of  Pastor  Andrus. 
A  written  constitution  was  adopted  in  1864.  The  first  Superin- 
tendent was  O.  A.  Kenyon.  Miss  L.  M.  Burdick  was  Secre- 
tary. The  following  quotations  are  from  the  record  book: 
1846.  "The  greatest  number  of  verses  learned  by  any  one 
scholar  during  the  year  was  543.  The  greatest  number  learn- 
ed by  a  scholar  at  one  session  was  104.  The  whole  number  of 
verses  learned  during  the  year  was  3,295."  1865.  "Moved 
and  carried  that  we  have  essays  from  the  ladies,  at  the  end  of 
the  quarter,  subject,  'Repentance,'  and  that  we  give  a  prize  for 
the  best  essay."  May  20th  of  the  same  year:  "Moved  and 
carried  that  we  have  essays  from  the  gentlemen,  subject.  'For- 
giveness,' prize  one  dollar."  May  27,  "Voted  that  we  change 
the  order  of  exercises  and  have  declamations  from  the  child- 
ren." July  15th,  "\'oted  that  Mrs.  Fuller  relate  a  Bible  story 
in  two  weeks,  and  that  Mr.  Dye  have  an  essay,  'How  to  Keep 
the  Sabbath,'  at  some  future  time." 

Teachers  made  quarterly  reports  of  attendance,  progress 
and  deportment.  The  list  of  Superintendents  is  as  follows: 
William  S.  Burdick,  Edwin  Daniels,  E.  S.  Bliss,  A.  B.  Cottrell, 
M.  D.  Crandall,  E.  M.  Mix.  Ellen  A.  Lyon,  ^Irs.  M.  G.  Still- 
man,  Walter  Brown.  Mrs.  Sarah  Gardner  and  Stanley  Brown. 

HEBROX    CENTER,    PA. 

The  Hebron  Center  school  was  organized  February,  1871, 
with  J.  A,  R.  Greenman  as  Superintendent.  Other  Superin- 
tendents have  been  F.  K.  Welch,  L.  W.  Dible,  C.  D.  McKee, 
yiavk  Rosboom,  Fanny  Greenman,  S.  Greenman,  S.  P.  Hemp- 
hill, M.  J.  Clare  and  Joseph  Clare,  Jr.  The  present  member- 
ship is  thirty. 


SABBATH    SCHOOL    BOARD.  299 

AXDOVER,    X.    Y. 

The  Andover  Sabbath  school  was  doubtless  organized 
about  1870.  Xo  records.  The  Superintendents  have  been: 
D.  L.  Langworthy  and  the  present  Superintendent,  John  M. 
Mosher.  The  school  has  done  and  is  doing  about  the  usual 
work  of  the  small  and  loyal  school. 

PORTVILLE,   N.   Y. 

This  Sabbath  school  was  organized  January  9th,  1875, 
with  sixty-tive  scholars  and  with  S.  L.  ]\Iaxson  as  Superin- 
tendent. He  has  been  followed  by  R.  A.  Barber,  A.  H.  Cran- 
dall,  B.  A.  Barber.  A.  C.  Sanford,  J.  P.  Remington,  Mrs.  B. 
A.  Barber,  Mrs.  Georgia  Langworthy,  Delwin  Crandall  and 
Mrs.  H.  A.  Place.  The  present  enrollment  is  tifty-three.  The 
school  subscribes  for  The  Helping  Hand  and  The  Sabbath 
Visitor. 

HORXELLSVILLE,  N".  Y. 

The  Hornellsville  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1876 
with  about  twenty  members.  The  meetings  for  some  time 
were  held  in  private  houses.  The  session  room  of  the  Baptist 
church  was  soon  hired.  There  are  now  forty  members  of  the 
school.  Dea.  O.  G.  Stillman  was  Superintendent  in  1878.  The 
present  Superintendent  is  C.  A.  Stillman. 

WELLSVILLE,    X.    V. 

This  school  was  organized  in  1885.  It  has  always  been 
a  small  school,  especially  in  its  Primary  Department.  The 
first  officers  were :  Superintendent,  A.  W.  Sullivan ;  Secre- 
tary and  Treasurer.  r\Irs.  J.  W.  Coller;  Chorister,  Dr.  J.  W. 
Coller.  Other  Superintendents  have  been  Mrs.  A.  A.  Almy. 
Mrs.  Dr.  Crandall,  J.  \V.  Crofoot,  Dea.  I.  S.  Crandall,  Agnes 
Rogers  and  E.  E.  Hide.  The  attendance  has  been  from  ten  to 
twenty,  taught  in  one,  two  or  three  classes.  The  school  has 
always  been  loyal  to  our  publications  and  has  contributed  in  a 
small  way  to  the  Missionary  and  Tract  Societies.  In  connec- 
tion with  the  Wellsville  school,  honorable  mention  should  be 
made  of  the  late  Rev.  Henry  L.  Jones.  For  many  years  he 
was  the  main  dependence  of  the  school.  He  was  a  teacher  of 
unusual  ability.  A  brave,  kind,  hopeful,  Christian  gentleman, 
whose  death  was  a  very  great  loss  to  the  \\'cllsvi]le  Sabbatli 
school. 


300  SEVENTII-UAV    l!.\T"TISTS: 

NILE,  N.  Y. 

The  Nile  Seventh-day  Baptist  Sabbath  school  records 
can  not  be  found  of  the  school  prior  to  the  year  1854,  but  early 
in  the  thirties  a  school  was  organized  and  probably  has  con- 
tmued  to  the  present  time.  A  branch  school  in  \\^irt  Town- 
ship was  also  held  for  several  years.  A.  A.  Place,  S.  P.  Wit- 
ter and  Dr.  B.  Babcock  were  leaders  in  the  branch  school.  I 
am  unable  to  learn  who  the  leaders  in  the  organization  were, 
except  W.  B.  Gillette  and  Mrs.  Keziah  Noble — the  latter  was 
one  of  the  earliest  teachers.  Mrs.  A.  A.  Allen  was  one  of  the 
earliest  scholars  in  the  school. 

For  many  years  the  older  classes  studied  various  Scrip- 
ture passages,  while  the  children  committed  to  memory  Bible 
verses  which  were  repeated  during  the  class  hour.  In  1861  the 
children  committed  to  memory  5,081  verses — 106  to  each  child. 
In  1862  they  learned  5,888  verses.  Since  December  25.  1886, 
the  school  has  been  studying  the  International  Series  of  lessons. 

For  many  years  the  school  had  anniversary  programs. 
At  one  time  papers  were  read  at  each  session  of  the  school. 
Picnics  are  now  usually  held  at  some  time  during  the  summer, 
and  Christmas  exercises  during  the  holiday  week.  Memorial 
services  are  now  held  each  year,  when  memorials  are  read  of 
each  of  the  scholars  who  have  died  during  the  year. 

The  Helping  Hand,  The  Sunday-school  Times,  Peloubefs 
Xofcs.  David  C.  Cook's  helps,  and  various  other  helps  have 
been  used  in  the  study  of  the  lessons.  For  many  years  $25.00 
has  been  spent  every  year  for  this  purpose. 

The  Superintendents  of  the  Nile  Sabbath  school  since  1854 
have  been :  Avery  Lanphere,  Joel  G.  Saunders,  S.  P.  Witter, 
T.  C.  West.  E.  R.'  Clarke,  W.  W.  Gardiner,  W.  D.  Crandall, 
A.  A.  Place,  W.  B.  Gillette,  L.  H.  Kenyon,  C.  R.  Gardiner, 
George  A.  Stillman,  George  W.  Burdick,  Mrs.  Lora  Stillman. 

On  the  list  of  names  of  those  who  have  gained  considera- 
ble denominational  distinction,  who  once  were  members  of  the 
Nile  school,  the  following  should  be  placed. 

Elder  \\'.  B.  Gillette  was  baptized  and  united  with  the 
church,  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  and  served  as  pastor  many 
years.  Prior  to  1840  he  was  an  earnest  worker  in  our  Sab- 
liath  school. 


SABBATH  SCHOOL  BOARD.  3OI 

Elder  A.  A.  F.  Randolph  was  ordained  here  and  was  also 
a  worker  in  the  Sabbath  school. 

Rev.  E.  A.  Witter  was  a  member  of  the  Sabbath  school, 
and  was  baptized  and  united  with  the  church  September  i6, 
1865. 

President  T.  L.  Gardiner  was  a  member  of  the  school  and 
was  baptized  and  united  with  the  church  in  '66.  He  was  af- 
terwards licensed  to  preach  by  the  church. 

Rev.  A.  G.  Crofoot  was  also  a  member  of  the  school  and 
was  baptized  and  united  with  the  church  April  2,  1870. 

Jay  Crofoot  was  a  member  of  the  school  several  years. 

Professor  C.  E.  Crandall  was  also. 

Professor  F.  S.  Place  was  for  years  a  member  of  the 
school  and  was  here  baptized. 

Henry  X.  Jordan  was  a  member  of  the  school  and  was 
baptized  in  1885. 

]\Irs.  Abigail  A.  (^Nlaxson)  Allen  was  one  of  the  early 
members  of  the  school.  She  united  with  the  church  after  bap- 
tism in  April,  1843. 

The  following  persons  were  also  members  of  the  school: 
Mrs.  E.  M.  Dunn,  AFrs.  O.  U.  Whitford,  ISIrs.  Elnora  A.  Cro- 
foot, ]\Irs.  D.  H.  Davis,  ATrs.  Horace  Stillman,  ^Mrs.  Eva  G. 
Jordan. 

Prior  to  the  time  when  the  school  subscribed  for  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Sabbath  school  pa])ers,  they  were  taken 
by  individuals  in  the  school.  Besides  collecting  money  fi^r 
school  purposes,  money  has  been  raised  for  the  Missionary 
and  Tract  Societies.  For  several  years  monc\-  was  raised  in 
the  classes  for  our  China  ^Mission  School,  but  in  1887  the 
school  adopted  the  birthday  offering  ])lan,  inviting  each  scholar 
to  give  after  his  birthday,  as  many  cents  as  he  is  years  old. 
In  this  way  about  $30.00  has  been  raised  each  year  for  the 
support  of  a  scholar  in  the  China  Mission  School. 

The  school  has  probably  raised  from  $50  to  $75  each  year 
for  twenty  years. 

The  total  enrollment  in  1854  was  62.  The  enrollment  in 
1901  was  116.  The  greatest  enrolliuent  was  in  the  year  1892, 
when  180  names  were  on  the  roll. 


302  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

The  greatest  average  attendance  for  any  year  was  in  1885, 
^vhen  the  average  Sabbath  attendance  was  98. 

NORTHWESTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

MILTOX,    WIS.      • 

The  jNIilton  Seventh-day  Baptist  Sabbath  school  was  or- 
ganized March  9,  1839.  It  consisted  ahnost  entirely  of  the 
families  of  Joseph  Goodrich  and  Henry  B.  Crandall,  who  had 
reached  Du  Lac  Prairie  five  days  before,  moving  from  Alfred, 
N.  Y.  They  formed  articles  of  agreement  covenanting  to 
meet  weekly  for  worship  and  for  the  study  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  inspiration  for  this  movement,  luider  God,  came  from 
Nancy  Maxson,  wife  of  Joseph  Goodrich.  Twenty-two  per- 
sons signed  these  articles.  At  first  the  school  consisted  of  but 
a  single  class,  but  two  years  later  a  young  people's  class  was 
also  formed,  and  shortly  after  classes  for  the  smaller  children. 
The  superintendents  for  several  years  for  the  most  part  were 
the  pastors  of  the  church,  Stillman  Coon  and  Zuriel  Campbell. 
During  some  of  the  earlier  years  the  school  was  not  always 
regularly  maintained,  but  was  reorganized  in  1855  upon  a  more 
permanent  basis.  Albert  Whitford,  a  teacher  in  Milton  Acade- 
my, was  chosen  its  superintendent.  Over  a  hundred,  old  and 
young,  divided  into  about  a  dozen  classes,  attended  its  sessions. 
He  was  succeeded  by  A.  C.  Spicer,  Principal  of  the  Academy. 
His  successor  was  William  C.  Whitford,  pastor  of  the  church. 
The  membership  of  the  church  up  to  this  time  was  largely  ru- 
ral, no  small  part  of  it  coming  to  its  place  of  worship  a  distance 
of  four  or  five  miles  and  so  the  sessions  of  the  school  followed 
the  church  service.  But  soon  after  the  setting  oft"  of  the  Rock 
River  church,  the  plan  was  adopted  of  holding  the  school  in 
the  forenoon,  a  plan  that  has  ever  since  been  followed. 

During  the  Civil  War  the  attendance  upon  the  school  was 
considerably  lessened.  More  than  a  score  of  its  members, 
among  them  its  Superintendent,  H.  M.  Havens,  enlisted  in  the 
army  of  the  United  States,  and  nearly  half  a  score  never  re- 
turned. They  gave  their  lives  in  the  battlefield,  or  in  camp  or 
hospital,  for  their  country.  x'Vt  this  period,  A.  H.  Lewis,  S.  R. 
Wheeler,  L.  A.  Platts  and  the  pastor  of  the  church,  D.  E. 
^Maxson,  served  as  Superintendents. 


SABBATH  SCHOOL  BOARD.  303 

At  first  the  Sabbath  school  lessons  were  selected  from  the 
New  Testament  and  a  study  was  made  of  each  book,  chapter 
by  chapter,  in  consecutive  order.  But  it  adopted  the  Interna- 
tional course  of  lessons  soon  after  their  first  publication,  and 
in  this  way  enlarged  its  scope  of  study  and  increased  its  facili- 
ties in  the  use  of  the  books  and  periodicals  edited  for  this  pur- 
pose. 

For  several  years  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  the 
school  was  in  a  very  prosperous  condition.  Its  numbers  were 
over  two  hundred.  Solomon  Carpenter  took  charge  of  the 
weekly  teachers'  meeting  and  by  his  zeal,  tact,  and  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures  contributed  greatly  to  its  success.  The  Su- 
perintendents at  this  time  were  C.  H.  Greenman.  W.  C.  Whit- 
ford,  L.  C.  Rogers,  the  pastor  of  the  church,  and  Albert  Whit- 
ford. 

In  the  spring  of  1889  the  school  celebrated  the  fiftieth  year 
of  its  organization.  The  meeting  was  largely  attended,  not 
only  by  the  mother  church,  but  also  by  the  membership  of  the 
churches  of  Rock  River  and  Milton  Junction.  Letters,  remin- 
iscences and  addresses  made  the  occasion  one  of  great  inter- 
est. 

Of  the  nineteen  superintendents  of  the  Milton  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  Sabbath  school  during  the  sixty-three  years  since 
its  organization,  William  C.  Whitford  has  served  fourteen 
years,  Albert  Whitford  eleven,  and  Edwin  Shaw  seven  years. 
Mrs.  Ruth  H.  Whitford  has  been  a  teacher  in  the  school  for 
twenty  years,  Mrs.  Ezekiel  B.  Rogers  for  about  the  same 
length  of  time,  and  E.  P.  Clarke  for  more  than  thirty  years. 
The  average  number  of  members  of  the  school  for  the  past 
fifty  years  has  been  about  one  hundred  and  fifty.  It  was  some- 
what less  during  the  Civil  War,  and  again  for  a  few  years  fol- 
lowing 1875.  a  tliird  greater  some  thirty  years  ago,  also  a  third 
greater  for  the  last  few  years. 

The  exercises  of  the  school  from  the  first  have  been  re- 
garded by  the  society  as  next  in  importance  to  the  preaching 
service.  Sixty  years  ago  the  church  voted  that  "it  iiighly  ap- 
proves of  the  support  of  the  Bible  class  and  that  it  recommends 
its  members  to  endeavor  to  induce  their  children  to  attend  the 
study  of  the  Scriptures."     Ever  since  it  has  religiously  obscrv- 


304  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

ed  this  recommendation,  and  its  members  have  been  faithful 
laborers  in  this  field.  Their  labor  has  not  been  without  its 
teward.  Hundreds  have  been  trained  in  the  school  for  mem- 
bership in  the  church,  and  such  to-day  arc  its  main  strength 
and  support,  and  its  hope  for  the  future. 

WALWORTH,  WIS. 

The  Walworth  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  February, 
185 1.  The  place  of  meeting  was  a  school  house  two  miles 
east  of  Walworth,  known  as  the  Cobblestone  school  house. 
Alfred  Maxson  and  L.  M.  Heritage  were  Superintendents  and 
William  S.  Clarke  was  Chorister.  In  1856  Nelson  Smith  was 
elected  Secretary  and  Librarian.  In  1862  the  office  of  Treas- 
urer was  created  and  N.  J.  Reed  elected  to  that  place.  In  1871 
George  Walters  was  elected  Assistant  Librarian  and  Ella 
Covey  Organist.  A  temperance  pledge  with  155  signers  was 
secured  in  1873.  Aluch  has  been  made  of  the  library.  Teach- 
ers' meetings  have  been  held.  The  school  has  been  financially 
independent  and  loyal  to  denominational  interests.  The  list 
of  Superintendents  is  as  follows:  Alfred  ^Nlaxson,  O.  P.  Hull, 
W.  H.  Redfield.  W.  B.  Maxson,  Daniel  Maxson,  E.  R.  jMaxson, 
A.  C.  Spicer,  L.  M.  Cottrell,  W.  H.  Randolph,  James  Bailey, 
L.  E.  Livermore,  W.  C.  Titsworth,  O.  U.  Whitford,  Mrs.  O.  U. 
Whitford.  T.  A.  Saunders,  M.  G.  Stillman,  S.  H.  Babcock, 
Mrs.  Lillie  Greene,  X.  D.  Maxson  and  W.  R.  Bonham. 

UTICA,   WIS. 

The  minutes  of  the  Northwestern  Association  in  1853  re- 
port a  Sabbath  school  at  Christiana,  since  called  Utica.  There 
had  been-  a  Bible  class  meeting  after  church  service  for  some 
time.  The  first  statistics  are  o;iven  in  1856,  when  there  were 
thirty  scholars  reported  with  William  B.  \\'est  as  Superintend- 
ent. The  following  year  there  were  fifty  scholars  and  the  Su- 
perintendent was  Rev.  R.  G.  Burdick.  Three  years  later 
Daniel  B.  Crandall  was  made  Superintendent.  About  this 
time  the  school  changed  its  name  to  Utica,  and  became  inde- 
pendent of  the  church  in  its  organization  and  management.  In 
1867  the  school  for  the  first  time  ran  through  the  entire  year. 
Credit  for  this  is  given  to  W.  B.  West,  R.  G.  Burdick,  A.  B. 
Prentice  and  H.  E.  Miner.  During  this  year  the  school  studied 
the  life  of  Christ,  and  the  membership  was  almost  doubled. 
(19) 


SABBATH  SCHOOL  BOARD.  305 

The  next  )ear  the  suhject  was  the  hfe  of  Paul.  This  was,  of 
course,  without  any  such  helps  as  we  now  have.  In  1872  F.  O. 
Burdick  became  Superintendent.  He  was  suocessfuL  The 
next  year  the  school  attained  its  maximum  membership  of  74, 
with  an  average  attendance  of  64.  From  that  time  on  the 
school  declined  on  account  of  removals  fr(Mn  the  community. 

The  last  report  was  made  in  1890.  The  list  of  Superin- 
tendents may  not  be  complete,  but  should  contain  the  names  of 
A.  P.  Stillman,  W.  B.  West,  D.  B.  Crandall,  R.  G.  Burdick, 
James  A.  Coon,  F.  O.  Burdick,  A.  B.  Prentice.  Clayton  A.  Bur- 
dick and  D.  B.  Coon. 

WEST   HALLOCK,   ILL. 

In  1848  two  brothers,  Daniel  and  A.  Hakes,  were  living 
at  West  Hallock.  They  and  their  wives  met  each  Sabbath 
and  together  they  studied  the  Bible.  Others  joined  with  them 
and  in  1853  an  organization  was  formed,  with  officers  and 
teachers.  Daniel  Hakes  has  been  connected  with  the  school 
throughout  its  whole  history.  He  has  been  Superintendent  for 
twenty-four  years.  Other  Superintendents  have  been :  A, 
Hakes.  William  Spicer,  C.  Estee,  C.  H.  Thompson,  H.  Estee, 
Mrs.  C.  C.  Socwell,  M.  Crosley.  W.  ]\I.  Simpson,  E.  B.  Saund- 
ers, A.  U.  Potter,  H.  C.  Stewart,  L.  McWhorter.  The  high- 
est number  on  the  roll  was  180  in  1876.  The  number  has  been 
largely  reduced  by  removals.     Present  enrollment  is  91.     . 

WELTON,    IOWA. 

It  is  confidentl}'  believed  that  an  organized  Bible  class 
has  been  maintained  at  Welton  since  the  first  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists settled  there  in  1853.  It  is  known  that  Rev.  Lewis  A. 
Davis  was  Superintendent  of  such  a  school  in  1854.  The 
school  was  reorganized  in  1858  or  1859  with  Thomas  Babcock 
as  leader.  Since  i860  the  school  has  been  reported  regularly 
to  the  Northwestern  Association.  Tn  1864  the  Welton  Sab- 
bath school  took  a  life  membershij)  certificate  of  $25.00  in  the 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  of  their  .State,  located  at  Davenport. 
Among  the  earlier  .Superintendents  may  be  mentioned  Elder 
L.  A.  Davis,  Thomas  ]5abcock,  Elder  C.  A.  Burdick,  Elder 
Benjamin  Clement.  Dr.  Charles  Badger.  Elder  \*arnum  Hull. 
J.  O.  Babcock,  L.  A.  Loofboro  and  Elder  1  \.  \).  Lewis. 


306  SEVEXTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

ALBIOX,  WIS. 

The  Albion  school  was  organized  by  Elder  Thomas  E. 
Babcock  in  1855.  During  the  early  history  of  this  school  its 
sessions  were  held  before  the  preaching  service ;  and  for  some 
years  the  meeting  was  in  the  chapel  hall  of  the  academy.  In 
more  recent  years  the  session  is  held  following  the  Sabbath 
morning  service.  During  the  best  days  of  Albion  Academy 
this  school  was  an  unusually  strong  and  interesting  one. 

Teachers'  meetings  have  been  held  throughout  these 
years.  The  school  now  has  an  average  attendance  of  55;  and 
is  doing  good  work.  The  following  is  an  incomplete  list  of 
Superintendents:  Thomas  E.  Babcock,  Joshua  Clarke,  S.  R. 
Potter,  J.  E.  X.  Backus,  R.  B.  Thomas,  B.  I.  Jefifrey,  C.  A. 
Emerson,  ■NI.  J.  Babcock,  Mrs.  D.  L.  Babcock,  D.  L.  Babcock. 

ROCK  RIVER,  WIS. 

At  the  organization  of  this  school  in  1856  there  were  40 
pupils.  Ten  years  later  there  were  93  :  and  in  1871  the  school 
numbered  135.  In  1901  there  were  43  pupils.  In  1871  there 
were  30  baptize.d ;  in  1877,  20;  and  in  1901,  11 ;  and  many  at 
other  times.  In  the  earlier  years  the  school  was  suspended 
during  the  winter  months.  The  following  Superintendents 
have  served  the  school:  Rev.  V.  Hull,  Dea.  A.  C.  Burdick, 
Rev.  R.  Hull,  B.  F.  Rogers,  H.  L.  Coon,  Henry  Ogden,  James 
Price,  P.  M.  Greene,  W.  H.  Monroe,  J.  L.  Huffman.  W.L.  A'. 
Crandall,  Rev.  J.  C.  Rogers,  George  N.  Coon,  William  Lille- 
john,  Jasper  J.  Xoice,  E.  D.  Van  Horn,  W.  J.  Loofboro,  C.  D. 
Balch,  Mary  Rose.  Besides  these  E.  B.  Saunders,  G.  B.  Shaw, 
C.  S.  Sayre  and  W.  C.  Whitford  have  been  prominent  in  the 
history  of  the  school. 

DODGE  CENTER,   MINN. 

This  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1857.  The  first 
settlers  met  in  covered  wagons,  groves  or  their  log  cabins  and 
together  studied  a  portion  of  Scripture.  Singing  and  prayer 
made  up  the  service  that  could  be  called  a  Sabbath  school.  For 
some  time  the  meetings  were  in  private  houses.  All  classes 
did  not  study  the  same  lesson. 

The  plan  for  the  children  and  young  people  was  to  com- 
mit to  memor}-  as  much  as  possible.  At  the  roll  call  each  per- 
son would  respond  with  a  verse  of  Scripture  containing  a  cer- 


SABBATH  SCHOOL  BOARD.  307 

tain  word  which  had  been  given  out  the  week  before.  This 
plan  was  continued  till  the  school  became  too  large  to  give  the 
time  to  it.  In  1871  there  were  seven  classes  and  seventy-eight 
scholars.  The  first  record  of  lesson  helps  is  in  1872,  when 
"The  Gem  Lesson  Leaf"  was  used.  The  year  following  we 
find  "The  National  Lesson  Leaf"  in  use.  In  1874  the  school 
for  the  first  time  continued  the  entire  year.  In  1875  the  name 
was  changed  from  "The  Wasioja  and  Ashland  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Sabbath  Shcool"  to  "The  Dodge  Center  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Sabbath  School."  In  1876  the  number  of  scholars  was 
121.  The  International  Lessons  were  adopted  in  1877.  In 
tS8o  the  first  collection  of  each  month  was  devoted  to  home 
missions.  In  1883  the  missionary  money  was  given  toward 
the  expense  ci:  Dr.  Ella  Swinney.  ; 

In  1882  it  w'as  taking  50  copies  of  Our  Sabbath  Jlsitor. 
A  teachers'  meeting  was  first  held  in  1886.  The  same  year 
at  a  special  meeting  held  for  that  purpose  a  Sabbath  school 
temperance  department  was  created  "to  take  charge  of  the 
pledge  book,  secure  signers,  distribute  literature."  This  depart- 
ment of  work  has  been  to  this  day  a  strong  factor  for  good  in 
the  village  of  Dodge  Center. 

The  school  has  been  denominational.  It  helped  the 
lioulder  Church,  took  stock  in  the  African  Industrial  Mission, 
contributes  to  the  Tract  and  Missionary  Societies,  etc.  The 
membership  was  never  larger  than  now.  Old  and  young  stay 
after  church  to  the  Bible  school.  The  Superintendents  have 
been:  A.  Jones,  H.  R.  ]\Iaxson,  Charles  Hubbell,  S.  R.  Or- 
cutt,  G.  W.  Hills,  G.  M.  Cottrell,  O.  S.  I\Iills,  G.  W.  Lewis,  E. 
S.  Ellis.  Giles  Ellis,  Flora  Tappan,  E.  A.  Sanford,  F.  E.  Tap- 
pan  and  K.  R.  Wells. 

TREXTOx,  ^nxx. 
A  Bible  school  was  organized  about  1859  and  was  a  very 
important  feature  in  the  religious  work  of  Freeborn  township 
for  many  years.  The  meetings  were  held  in  private  houses 
for  a  time  and  afterwards  in  different  school  houses.  The 
first  teacher  is  said  to  have  been  jNIrs.  Lemuel  Scovil.  Other 
workers  in  the  school  have  been:  Elder  Joel  West,  holder 
Phineas  Crandall,  llcnry  West  and  wife.  A.  V.  Stiihuan  and 
wife,  11.  S.  Olin  and  wife,  Dighton  I'»urdick  and  wife,  J-  L- 


308  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Shaw  and  wife,  John  Wilson  and  wife,  and  very  many  other 
faithful  ones  whose  names  are  written  in  the  "Lamb's  Book 
of  Life,"  which  will  not  be  lost  as  the  last  record  of  the  Tren- 
ton school  has  been.  The  school  was  closed  in  1896.  This 
school  may  be  like  the  body  of  John  Brown,  but  its  influence  is 
like  his  soul,  "marching-  on." 

NORTONVILLE^    KAN. 

In  1863,  when  the  Nortonville  church  was  organized,  the 
members  used  to  remain  after  service  and  study  the  Bible. 
This  they  did  in  two  classes.  In  1864  a  small  library  was  do- 
nated to  them  by  Mrs.  Hannah  Wheeler,  of  Salem,  N.  J.  Meet- 
ings were  held  in  private  houses  till  the  first  school  house  was 
built  in  1866.  In  1869  a  more  formal  organization  was  made 
and  the  40  scholars  w'ere  placed  in  four  classes.  Mrs.  Xellie 
Tits  worth  was  the  first  organist.  In  1877  the  school  numbered 
85.  In  1880  a  temperance  society  was  formed  in  the  school 
and  very  many  signed  the  pledge.  Isaac  Maris  was  the  first 
President  of  this  society.  The  school  reached  its  highest  num- 
ber in  1899,  wdiich  was  226.  The  number  of  classes  for  some 
years  has  been  13.  The  sessions  are  held  following  the  church 
service.  Of  those  who  were  members  at  the  beginning  in  1863 
there  are  left  Mrs.  Maria  Wheeler,  Eunice  W^  Petty,  Eliza 
Griffin,  Emily  F.  Randolph  and  Kate  E.  Perry.  Among  the 
faithful  teachers  of  long  standing  in  the  school  may  be  men- 
tioned Joshua  Wheeler,  S.  R.  Wheeler,  ]\Irs.  N.  E.  Buten, 
Sarah  Tomlinson,  Kate  Perry,  O.  W.  Babcock.  R.  J.  Maxson, 
Nelson  Stillman,  U.  S.  Griffin,  B.  O.  Burdick,  L.  E.  Hummel. 

Those  who  have  served  as  superintendents  are :  Daniel 
Stillman,  J.  H.  Titsworth.  R.  J.  Maxson.  LI.  S.  Griffin,  Joshua 
Wlieeler,  Elder  S.  R.  Wheeler,  Isaac  ]\Iaris,  C.  H.  Babcock, 
L.  E.  Hummel  and  Fred.  Maris. 

In  1870  Elder  Wheeler  and  Isaac  ]\laris  were  prominent 
in  the  organization  of  the  Atchison  County  Sabbath  School  As- 
sociation, and  the  school  was  prominent  in  the  county  work 
until  the  school,  by  the  removal  of  the  church  building  in  1900, 
came  into  Jefiferson  County. 

At  the  present  time  the  school  is  doing  good  work.  Good 
seed  is  being  sown.     May  it  bring  forth  many  fold. 


SABBATH    SCHOOL    BOARD.  309 

NORTONVILLE    (BRANCH    SCHOOL),    KAN. 

From  1892  till  the  removal  of  the  church  building  to  the 
village  in  1900  there  was  a  branch  school  in  Norton ville.  It 
began  by  Mrs.  Susan  Clarke  inviting  children  to  her  house  on 
Sabbath  afternoons  to  study  the  lesson,  but  grew  till  a  hall 
was  hired  and  a  regular  school  organized.  It  was  a  branch 
school  from  1897  and  so  supported,  governed  and  reported. 
The  Superintendents  of  this  school  were:  L.  E.  Hummel, 
W.  E.  M.  Oursler,  Mrs.  Ida  Stillman.  The  teachers  were : 
H.  E.  Babcock,  L.  E.  Hummel,  W.  E.  M.  Oursler,  Jacob 
Brinkerhoff,  Mrs.  H.  D.  Burdick,  Mrs.  Lucy  Knapp,  Mrs. 
Mary  Sayre  and  Mrs.  Nettie  Perry.  In  1898  forty  scholars 
signed  the  following  pledge:  "God  helping  me,  I  solemnly 
promise  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  alcoholic  drinks,  including 
wine,  beer  and  cider  as  a  beverage,  and  from  the  use  of  tobac- 
co in  any  form,  and  I  will  abstain  from  profane  and  impure 
words." 

NEW  AUBURN,   MINN. 

In  the  summer  of  1864  several  Seventh-day  Baptist  fami- 
lies settled  in  Sibley  County,  Minnesota.  Among  these  were 
Wells  K.  Greene,  A.  C.  Coon,  C.  A.  Coon,  Z.  W.  Burdick,  O. 
C.  Burdick.  Roswell  Crandall,  Nelson  Stillman  and  G.  G. 
Coon.  A  Sabbath  school  must  have  been  organized  at  once, 
for  in  September  of  this  year  Elder  B.  F.  Rogers,  the  mission- 
ary pastor,  was  chosen  Superintendent.  At  that  time  there 
were  12  scholars  and  2  teachers.  In  1867  Elder  H.  W.  Bab- 
cock was  chosen  Superintendent.  The  school  now  has  30 
scholars  and  3  teachers.  In  1876  the  school  was  given  up, 
but  was  reorganized  in  1877,  when  G.  G.  Coon  became  Super- 
intendent, The  same  officers  conducted  the  school  for  8  years. 
The  church  being  without  a  pastor,  was  largely  indebted  to 
the  Sabbath  school  for  its  life  and  power.  The  Superintend- 
ents in  more  recent  years  have  been:  Rev.  A.  G.  Crofoot. 
Miss  Cleora  Ramsdall,  Elder  E.  H.  Socwell,  and  Frank  Hall. 
Rev.  D.  B.  Coon  was  one  of  our  Sabbath  school  boys.  The 
school  has  always  been  a  strong  factor  in  the  religious  life  of 
the  church. 

lARIXA,  ir,L. 

In  May,  1865.  a  Sabbath  school  was  organized  at  Farina 


3IO  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

in  the  home  of  Anson  Goodrich,  with  Arnold  C.  Davis  Super- 
intendent, Hattie  Goodrich  "melodianist,"  A.  S.  Coon  teacher 
of  the  Bible  class  and  Mrs.  Carrie  Davis  teacher  of  the  primary 
class.     The  school  numbered  25. 

During  the  same  year  ]\lr.  Davis  moved  away  and  A.  S. 
Coon  was  chosen  Superintendent.  The  house  of  Mr.  Good- 
rich was  soon  too  small  for  the  school  and  the  upper  room  of 
a  grain  elevator  was  secured.  In  1866  the  school  was  reor- 
ganized with  Rev.  L.  'M.  Cottrell  as  Superintendent.  No 
records  have  been  found  dating  earlier  than  1868,  and  these 
are  very  unsatisfactory.     During  the  37  years  there  have  been 

14  Superintendents,  as  follows :  A.  C.  Davis,  A.  S.  Coon,  L. 
M.  Cottrell,  O.  B.  Irish,  J.  F.  Greenman,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Rich,  E. 
W.  Irish,  O.  U.  Whitford,  W.  R.  Potter,  T.  P.  Andrews.  B. 
E.  Titsworth,  A.  A.  Whitford,  C.  H.  West  and  H.  P.  Irish. 
Eor  about  20  }ears  the  plan  has  been  followed  of  electing  a 
superintendent  and  having  him  name  the  other  officers.  About 

15  years  ago  the  school  adopted  the  plan  of  furnishing  every 
family  in  the  society  with  The  Sabbath  Jlsitor  and  The  Help- 
ing Hand.  The  average  number  of  sessions  a  year  since  1875 
is  49,  the  average  weekly  attendance  is  92,  and  the  average 
enrollment  160. 

About  180  members  of  the  Sabbath  school  have  united 
with  the  church  during  its  history. 

BOSCOBEL,    WIS. 

Beginning  about  1870  and  continuing  for  some  years 
there  was  a  very  successful  mission  Sabbath  school  conducted 
by  Miss  M.  M.  Jones  at  Boscobel,  Wis.  At  one  time  there 
was  a  Band  of  Hope,  and  a  Gem  Temperance  Army,  includ- 
ing 140  boys  and  girls.     ]\Iuch  lasting  good  was  done. 

STONE  FORT,  ILL. 

Ill  the  early  days  of  the  Stone  Fort  church  the  Sabbath 
school  and  the  church  were  so  nearly  the  same  that  it  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  thought  necessary  to  have  separate  organi- 
zations. After  church  service  most  of  the  congregation  re- 
mained to  study  the  Bible  lesson.  The  lesson  would  be  read 
verse  by  verse  and  questions  asked  by  the  pastor  or  some  other 
appointed  leader.  The  lesson  was  taken  from  TJic  Sabbath 
Recorder.     This   public   study   began   about    1871.     Everyone 


SABnATlI    SCHOOL    BOARD.  3II 

in  the  society  was  considered  a  member  of  the  school.  The 
church  records  state  that  on  June  12th,  1887,  Elder  F.  F. 
Johnson  was  chosen  Superintendent  for  one  year. 

Since  1890  the  records  have  been  kept.  Among'  those 
who  have  contributed  much  to  the  life  and  success  of  the  school 
are:  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Lewis,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ]\Iatthew 
Bracewell,  B.  D.  Grace,  M.  B.  Kelly,  Sr, 

The  school  now  numbers  44,  with  an  average  attendance 
of  28.  The  Superintendents  have  been :  F.  F.  Johnson,  Rob- 
ert Lewis,  B.  D.  Grace,  Howell  Lewis,  Oliver  Lewis,  Mary 
Bozarth,  Paul  Johnson,  Pierce  Bracewell. 

CHICAGO,    n.L. 

In  June,  1875,  Elder  James  Bailey  came  to  Chicago  and 
organized  a  Sabbath  school  and  a  ^^^oman"s  Auxiliary  Tract 
Society.  At  iirst  the  meeting  of  the  school  was  held  in  pri- 
vate houses,  but  was  soon  removed  to  one  of  the  ante-rooms 
of  the  platform  of  Farwell  Hall ;  and  the  time  made  1 1  o'clock 
in  order  to  give  the  class  the  benefit  of  the  "Xoon  Meeting" 
that  would  follow.  Added  interest  came  from  the  fact  that 
Rev.  E.  "SI.  Dunn,  who  was  a  student  in  the  city,  usually  stayed 
in  the  city  over  the  Sabbath  and  taught  the  class.  The  school 
grew  slowly  but  steadily.  Li  1882  Brother  X.  O.  ]\loore  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  organizing  a  Sabbath  mission  school.  On 
the  25th  of  ]\Iarch,  1882,  that  was  accomplished.  Through 
the  generosity  of  Colonel  George  R.  Clarke,  formerly  a 
Seventh-day  Baptist,  this  school  was  held  in  the  Pacific  Gar- 
den Mission,  100  Van  Buren  street,  for  the  nominal  sum  of 
$50.00  a  year.  The  officers  first  elected  were  as  follows :  Su- 
perintendent, N.  O.  Moore ;  Chorister,  George  W.  Post :  Or- 
ganist, Ella  Covey;  Secretary,  C.  C.  Eaton;  Treasurer,  J.  'SI. 
Maxson ;  Aisle  Manager,  Ira  J.  ( )rdwa\'.  The  school  grew 
and  soon  became  a  prominent  factor  in  the  church  work.  The 
children  were  largely  from  the  families  of  the  Jews  of  the 
neighborhood  south  of  \  an  IJuren  street,  ^fany  strong  men 
and  women  received  training  as  workers  in  the  school,  which 
was  carried  on  for  12  years.  For  much  of  the  time  "Sir.  Moore 
was  Superintendent.  The  school  has  had  nnich  help  frum 
students,  medical,  dental,  theological  and  others. 

In  1889  a  separate  school  was  started  for  the  children  of 


312  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Seventh-day  Baptist  families,  which  has  since  been  kept  up  in 
connection  with  the  church  services. 

CARTWRIGHT,    WIS. 

In  the  winter  of  1878-9  Mrs.  Perry  Sweet  organized  a 
Sabbath  school  of  about  a  half  dozen  children.  In  March. 
1879,  J\Irs.  Sweet  was  elected  Superintendent.  At  that  time 
there  were  26  members.  At  one  time  there  were  50  mem- 
bers.    The  average  attendance  at  the  present  time  is  25. 

PLEASANT  GROVE,  S.  D. 

This  school  was  organized  in  December,  1887.  For  some 
years  members  of  Seventh-day  Baptist  families  had  been  meet- 
ing to  study  the  Bible  lesson  together.  At  one  time  the  school 
had  60  scholars,  but  has  been  discontinued  on  account  of  re- 
movals. The  Superintendents  have  been :  H.  H.  Severance, 
George  Lanphere,  Rev.  D.  K.  Davis,  R.  J.  Maxson  and  Stiles 
Lanphere.  The  school  closed  in  1900. 
BIG  SIOUX,  s.  D. 

This  school  was  organized  in  1890  with  23  members. 
There  were  three  classes.  For  several  years  the  Superintend- 
ent was  Miss  Anna  Nelson.  "Other  Superintendents  have  been : 
James  Jenson  and  Charles  Nelson.  Miss  Alice  Nelson  (now 
Mrs.  C.  A.  Davis)  and  Mr.  George  Georgeson  have  also  acted 
for  brief  periods  in  this  capacity.  This  school  has  never  been 
a' large  one,  but  has  been  made  up  of  faithful,  earnest  students 
of  God's  word  and  will.     It  now  numbers  18. 

BOULDER,    COL. 

In  1891  Elder  G.  M.  Cottrell  made  a  missionary  trip 
through  the  West.  He  called  a  meeting  of  the  Seventh-day 
Baptists  in  Boulder.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the  Christian 
church.  About  40  were  present.  Elder  Cottrell  presided. 
This  was  April  4th,  and  a  school  was  organized  to  be  known 
as  "The  First  Seventh-day  Baptist  Sabbath  Shcool  of  Colo- 
rado." The  following  officers  were  elected :  Deacon  A.  G. 
Coon,  Superintendent ;  John  Babcock,  Assistant ;  i\Irs.  Mary 
Larkin,  Secretary;  Walter  Rood,  Treasurer;  Will  Davis. 
Chorister ;  Mrs.  Mattie  Burdick,  Organist.  The  first  session 
of  the  school  was  held  on  April  11  with  an  attendance  of  3fS. 
The  teacher  of  the  infant  class  has  been  Mrs.  Terry  up  to  the 
present  time.     Before  the  Boulder  church  was  built  the  meet- 


SAIiBATH    SCHOOL    BOARD.  313 

ings  of  the  school  were  in  the  Christian  church,  in  private 
houses  and  in  the  Swedish  church.  The  membership  has 
changed  very  much,  but  the  school  has  always  been  well  at- 
tended and  interesting.  At  one  time  the  enrollment  was  as 
high  as  70.  On  account  of  removals  the  number  is  much  less 
at  the  present  time.  The  school  has  been  a  financial  help  to 
the  church,  purchasing  an  organ,  helping  on  the  building  fund, 
etc. 

FARXAM.    XEB. 

In  1 891  the  families  of  R.  L.  \'an  Horn  and  A.  A.  Bab- 
cock  met  on  the  Sabbath  to  study  the  Bible  lesson.  In  1894 
there  were  7  families  and  a  school  was  organized.  The  school 
has  held  its  own  through  prosperity  and  through  trovible.  Mrs. 
Ella  Davis  is  the  present  Superintendent. 

COLOXY  HEIGHTS,  CAL. 

It  was  probably  in  November,  1895,  that  the  Colony 
Heights  school  was  organized.  The  meeting  was  at  the  home 
of  Rev.  J.  T.  Davis,  who  was  chosen  Superintendent.  It  open- 
ed with  a  membership  of  24  and  reached  its  largest  number, 
38,  about  two  years  later.  The  life  of  the  school  depended  on 
tlie  success  of  the  colony,  hence  it  died  in  1901.  Many  of  its 
members  removed  to  the  neighboring  town  of  Riverside,  where 
a  Sabbath  school  has  been  organized,  which  is  practicall)-  a 
continuation  of  the  one  at  Colony  Heights. 

ROCK   HOUSE  PRAIRIE,   WIS. 

This  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1896  by  Rev. 
George  W.  Hills.  There  were  28  members.  E.  Atkins  was 
Superintendent  and  Mrs.  E.  F.  Babcock  was  Secretary.  The 
members  are  widely  scattered,  but  loyal  to  the  school. 

Mrs.  L.  Crandall  is  the  present  Superintendent  and  the 
school  numbers  25.  The  Saviour  is  taken  as  the  pattern  and 
the  children  are  taught  his  ways. 

TALEXT,    ORE. 

A  Sabbath  school  was  organized  at  Talent,  Ore.,  January 
i6th,  1897.  Previous  to  this  time  the  same  work  had  been 
done  in  an  unorganized  way.  ^Irs.  M.  C.  Hendricks  was 
made  Superintendent  and  Ethelyn  ETurlcy  Secretary.  The  av- 
erage attendance  the  first  year  was   K).     At  first  the  meetings 


314  SEVEXTII-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

\vere  lield  in  the  home  of  W.  IT.  Hurley  and  later  in  the  Ander- 
son Creek  school  house. 

This  being  the  only  Bible  school  in  the  neighborhood  there 
have  always  attended  it  several  from  First-day  families.  It 
has  been  the  custom  to  hold  devotional  services  following  the 
school,  when  there  is  no  church  service.  The  school  was  large 
in  1898,  but  has  since  been  greatly  depleted  by  removals.  Like 
the  Sabbath  school  in  many  other  small  churches  it  has  been 
the  center  and  strength  of  the  chtirch  work. 

HOLGATE,   OHIO. 

Rev.  A.  G.  Crofoot.  then  of  Jackson  Center,  Ohio,  organ- 
ized the  Holgate  Sabbath  school  in  1898.  There  were  28 
members,  with  the  following  officers:  Superintendent,  Air. 
Nollen ;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Mengersen ;  Secretary,  Mrs. 
]\Iaria  Snyder ;  Chorister,  Olla  Nollan.  The  present  Superin- 
tendent is  Mrs.  Mengersen,  in  whose  home  the  school  is  held. 

JANESVILLE,  WIS. 

For  several  years  there  have  been  meetings  on  Sabbath 
afternoon  for  the  study  of  the  Bible  lesson.  In  November, 
1900,  a  school  was  organized.  Dr.  A.  L.  Burdick  is  the  Super- 
intendent, at  whose  home  the  meetings  are  usually  held.  There 
are  16  members.  This  school  is  a  great  source  of  strength  to 
the  Sabbath-keepers  living  in  the  city. 

SOUTHEASTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

LOST   CREEK,    W.    VA. 

A  Sabbath  school  was  organized  at  Lost  Creek  about  the 
}ear  1865,  by  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis,  who  held  a  series  of  meetings 
liere  at  that  time. 

After  the  organization  of  the  Sabbath  school,  ^Nloses  II. 
Davis  served  as  Superintendent. 

In  the  absence  of  records,  a  satisfactory  history  of  the 
school  is  difficult  to  give,  but  it  is  remembered  that  the  follow- 
ing named  persons  have  filled  the  office  of  Superintendent : 
A.  R.  Jones,  Charles  N.  Maxson,  Luther  A.  Bond  and  Af. 
Berkeley  Davis. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  in  1865.  Rev.  Samuel  D. 
Davis  was  pastor  of  the  Lost  Creek  church.  Prominent  among 
the   members   were   the     following:     ^^'il]iam     Keuned\-,     VM 


SABRATII    SCHOOL    BOARD.  315 

Bond.  Levi  Bond.  Jessie  Davis.  Joshua  Davis.  George  Paugh. 
Boothe  Bond,  Abel  Bond,  Broomfield  Bond.  These  with  their 
respective  wives  were  among  the  oldest  members  at  that  time. 

In  1880  the  school  had  grown  to  its  present  proportions, 
its  membership  numbering  about  90. 

The  class  method  of  instruction  is  in  vogue,  and  the  chief 
lesson  help  is  The  Helping  Hand. 

Owing  to  the  scattered  condition  of  the  school,  few  en- 
tertainments are  held.  All  money  raised  for  benevolent  pur- 
poses is  secured  by  means  of  collections. 

Two  former  members  of  the  school  have  entered  the  min- 
istry— Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis,  President  of  Alfred  University, 
and  his  brother,  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Davis. 

SALEM.   W.  VA. 

The  Salem  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1868  by 
Preston  F.  Randolph.  At  first  its  membership  was  composed 
almost  wholly  of  children.  Few  of  the  older  people  attended. 
except  Phineas  F.  Randolph  and  his  wife,  [Marvel,  together 
with  their  grand-daughter,  ]\Iiss  Columbia  Jeffrey. 

Among  those  who  attended  occasionally  and  encouraged 
the  movement,  were  Fenton  F.  Randolph  and  Emily  his  wife, 
P.  Chapin  F.  Randolph  and  Margaret  his  wife.  Lloyd  F.  Ran- 
dolph, and  Mrs.  INIary  Davis,  the  widow  of  Silas  Davis.  At 
first  these  came  as  occasional  visitors  and  afterward  as  regu- 
lar attendants..  The}',  together  with  their  children :  Walton 
F.  and  Belle  F.  Randolph,  the  son  and  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Nancy  F,  Randolph :  and  Lafayette  Sutton,  were  the 
most  prominent  members  of  the  Sabbath  school. 

Preston  ¥.  Randolph,  who  organized  the  Sabbath  school 
in  the  first  instance,  served  as  its  Superintendent  almost  con- 
tinuously from  the  beginning  down  to  al)out  1890,  except  at 
such  time  as  he  was  awa\-  from  Salem  teaching  school.  On 
such  occasions,  the  following  served  as  Superintendents  at 
different  times:  Jesse  F.  Randolph,  Terrcnce  M.  Davis  and 
Deacon  Lodowick  H.  Davis. 

Since  1890,  the  following  have  served  as  Superintendent : 
Cora  F.  Randolph  (now  Mrs.  Charles  Ogden),  Ernest  F.  Ran- 
dolph. Flavins  J.  Ehrct,  '\\.  Wardner  Davis,  Cortez  R.  Claw- 
son,  Moses  H.  \'an  Horn,  Stillman  F.  Lowther,  Dora  Gardi- 


3l6  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

ner  (now  Mrs.  Okey  Davis),  Beatrice  Lowther  (now  Mrs. 
Dwight  Clarke),  and  Samuel  B.  Bond. 

The  Sabbath  school  was  organized  with  about  fifteen  pu- 
pils. At  the  present  time,  the  enrollment  numbers  about  nine- 
ty-five. 

Among  those  who  have  been  members  of  this  Sabbath 
school  may  be  mentioned  the  following:  Hon.  Jesse  F.  Ran- 
dolph, member  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  West  Mr- 
ginia ;  Professor  Terrence  M.  Davis,  at  one  time  a  member  of 
the  faculty  of  Alfred  University ;  Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis,  Presi- 
dent of  Alfred  University ;  and  Rev,  Samuel  H,  Davis. 

The  funds  raised  by  the  Sabbath  school  have  been  used 
chiefly  for  the  purchase  of  lesson  helps  for  the  teachers  and 
children,  the  purchase  of  Sabbath  school  papers  for  the  child- 
ren, and  for  the  support  of  the  regular  church  and  denomina- 
tional work, 

BUCKEYE  RUN,    ( SALEM,  W.  VA.) 

About  the  year  1875  there  was  organized  in  a  log  school 
house  on  Buckeye  Run  a  few  miles  west  of  the  village  of  New 
Salem,  at  the  forks  of  the  Sistersville  and  the  Northwestern 
turnpikes,  a  Sabbath  school,  with  Stillman  F.  Lowther  as  Su- 
perintendent. The  new  Sabbath  school  was  composed  almost, 
if  not  quite,  wholly  of  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church 
and  their  families  living  in  that  vicinity.  The  original  mem- 
bership numbered  about  twenty-five.  At  the-  present  time, 
the  enrollment  is  thirty-seven. 

MIDDLE   ISLAND,    (nEW    MILTON,    W.    VA. ) 

This  Sabbath  school  was  probably  organized  about  the 
year  1865  or  1866,  but  there  are  no  available  records  before 
1872. 

Among  the  early  Superintendents  were  Franklin  F.  Ran- 
dolph and  Abner  J.  Davis.  The  first  Superintendent  of  exist- 
ing record  was  Daniel  Fillmore  F.  Randolph.  Among  the 
subsequent  Superintendents  were  the  following:  Rev.  James 
E.  Davis,  Albert  Shock,  Luther  F.  Randolph,  Clementina 
Davis,  Walter  Fields  McWhorter,  Johnson  J.  Lowther,  James 
E.  Willis,  Corliss  F.  Randolph.  Iseus  F.  Randolph,  Esle  F. 
Randolph,  Roy   F.   Randolph,  Archibald  W.   Kelley,  Charles 


SABBATH    SCHOOL    BOARD.  317 

Compton  Davis,  Samuel  Albert  Ford,  Wesley  C.  Lowther. 
Linville  B.  Davis,  ]\Ianville  O.  Polan,  William  L.  Davis,  Eva 
Noble. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization,  the  following  were  among 
the  more  prominent  members:  Deacon  Jepthah  F.  Randolph, 
Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  Amaziah  Bee,  Franklin  F.  Randolph 
and  Abner  J.  Davis.  The  membership  was  small.  At  the 
present  time  the  enrollment  numbers  thirty-four. 

If  the  church  had  a  pastor  at  the  time  of  its  organization, 
it  was  Rev.  James  B.  Davis.  At  all  events,  he  was  the  pastor 
soon  afterward.  From  about  1871  to  1875  Rev.  Charles  A. 
Burdick  was  with  the  church  and  Sabbath  school  for  a  short 
time  at  frequent  intervals. 

The  following  ministers  have  been  prominently  identified 
with  the  Sabbath  school :  Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  Amaziah  Bee, 
A\'illiam  L.  Davis,  Samuel  Albert  Ford,  all  licentiates. 

RITCHIE,    (bEREA,    \V.   VA.) 

While  the  exact  date  of  the  organization  does  not  seem 
to  be  known,  it  is  certain  that  the  Ritchie  Sabbath  school  was 
organized  in  the  year  1870.  immediately  after  the  organization 
of  the  Ritchie  church,  if  not  in  immediate  connection  with  the 
organization  of  the  cliurch.  The  chief  promoters  were  Wil- 
liam Jett,  \\'illiam  F.  Ehret.  Asa  F.  Randolph  and  Levi  Stal- 
naker. 

From  1870  to  1889,  no  records  are  found,  but  we  learn 
from  other  authentic  sources  that  Levi  Stalnaker  was  the  first 
Superintendent,  and  that  during  this  period,  William  F.  Ehret 
and  W^illiam  Jett  each  served  a  term  as  Superintendent. 

Since  1889  the  following  named  persons  have  served  as 
Superintendent:  Alva  F.  Randolph,  Rev.  Orpheus  S.  Mills, 
Ellsworth  F.  Randolph.  Luther  Brissey,  Fcstus  Kelley,  Al- 
bert Brissey,  C.  F.  Meathcrcl,  Clyde  Ehret,  Elva  Maxson  and 
Erlow  Sutton. 

The  present  enrollment  of  the  school  is  sixty-three. 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis  was  pastor  of  the  church  at  the  time 
of  the  organization  of  the  Sabbath  school. 

The  funds  for  the  use  of  the  Sabbath  school  are  raised  l\v 
penny  collections,  for  the  most  part. 

Rev.  Experience   (Perie)    F.  Randol])h    (now   Mrs.  Lcn 


3l8  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

D.  Burdick  was  formerly  a  member  of  this    Sabbath    school. 

GREENBRIAR,  W.  VA. 

According-  to  the  best  available  information,  this  Sabbath 
school  was  organized  in  the  summer  of  1866  by  Preston  F. 
Randolph. 

Officers  are  elected  twice  each  year.  The  following  have 
served  as  Superintendent :  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  Ethel- 
bert  J.  Davis,  Judson  F.  Randolph,  John  F.  Randolph,  Festus 
P.  Ford,  Rev.  Riley  G.  Davis,  Mrs.  [Marcus  E.  Martin,  Fenton 
R.  Clarke,  Milton  Clarke,  Fenton  Williams,  Lewis  B.  Stutler 
and  F.  W.  Williams. 

The  enrollment  has  never  been  large.  At  present,  it  num- 
bers about  twenty^seven. 

The  Greenbrier  church  was  organized  in  1870.  At  that 
time.  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  chosen  pastor.  Rev.  Walter  B. 
Gillette  was  with  us  more  or  less  during  the  early  years  of 
the  church  and  later  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  was  with  us  at 
frecjuent  intervals  during  a  period  of  four  or  five  years. 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  associated  with  us  until  his  death, 
and  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  until  he  removed  to  Rhode 
Island  in  1883.  Rev.  Riley  G.  Davis  was  also  a  member  of 
the  Sabbath  school  for  many  years. 

ROANOKE,  W.  VA. 

The  Roanoke  Sabbath  school  was  organized  April  14, 
1872.  The  Roanoke  church  had  just  been  organized,  but  as 
the  church  had  no  resident  pastor,  and  no  other  arrangement 
for  regular  preaching  services,  it  was  thought  best  to  organize 
the  church  into  a  Sabbath  school. 

The  Superintendents  have  been  as  follows :  J.  J.  Heven- 
er,  Mansfield  iNL  Hevener,  Festus  Kelley,  Samuel  D.  Bond, 
Ina  Hevener,  B.  W.  Bee  and  Ahva  John  Clarence  Bond. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  Sabbath  school 
there  w'ere  twenty  members.  The  membership  now  numbers 
thirty-four. 

SALEM VI LLE,    PA. 

The  Salemville  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  March, 
1887.  The  most  prominent  members  at  that  time  were  Rev. 
George  B.  Kagarise,  G.  C.  Long,  A.  D.  Wolfe,  C.  F,  Shriner, 


SAIMSATH     SCHOOL    BOARD.  319 

and  others.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  present  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  work  of  organization. 

The  first  Superintendent  was  Wilson  Kagarise.  Those 
since  then  have  been  as  follows :  John  Wolfe,  Sr. ;  Xoah 
Blough,  A.  W.  Walter.  A.  D.  Wolfe,  George  E.  Negley,  C.  C. 
Wolfe,  G.  C.  Long  and  Jerome  Kagarise. 

The  original  membership  numbered  eight.  The  present 
membership  is  about  forty-five. 

The  money  raised  by  Sabbath  school  collections,  besides 
supporting  the  work  of  the  Sabbath  school,  is  paid  into  the 
treasuries  of  the  ^lissionary  and  Tract  Societies. 

John  H.  \\'olfe,  one  of  the  members  of  this  Sabbath 
school,  recently  graduated  from  Alfred  University,  and  has 
been  formally  licensed  by  the  church  to  preach. 

SOUTHWESTERX  ASSOCL\TIOX. 

LITTLE   PRAIRIE,  ARK. 

This  school  was  first  held  on  "Grand  Prairie"  at  the  homes 
of  A.  S.  Davis,  T.  C.  jMonroe  and  Orrin  Wilber.  The  school 
was  organized  in  1881.  A.  S.  Davis  was  Superintendent.  Miss 
Nettie  Knapp  was  one  of  the  teachers.  The  next  year  the 
families  of  Zachery  Lewis  and  J.  L.  Hull  were  added  to  the 
circle.  In  1893  the  meetings  were  held  at  De  Luce  and  ]Mrs. 
Amanda  Stephen-  was  Superintendent.  This  year  the  meet- 
ings of  the  school  began  to  be  held  at  Little  Prairie  and  J,  L. 
Hull  was  made  Superintendent.  The  school  has  usually  num- 
bered about  20.  Other  Superintendents  have  been  Deacon 
L  Parish,  Elder  W.  H.  Godsey,  Miss  E.  A.  Fisher  and  Mrs. 
Parish. 

The  present  membership  is  25. 

IIAMMOXD,    LA. 

In  the  winter  of  1886  and  1887  a  small  colony  of  Sabbath- 
keepers  settled  at  Hammond.  They  met  each  Sabbath  to 
study  the  Bible  lesson.  Leaders  were  appointed  from  week 
to  week  in  advance.  Others  joined  the  company  till  a  private 
house  was  not  convenient.  For  some  time  the  school  met  in 
a  school  house  owned  by  a  leading  and  generous  citizen,  C.  E. 
Gate.  Still  later  the  meetings  were  held  in  the  town  hall  till 
the  church  was  built.     The  school,  containing  men  and  women 


320  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

of  recognized  ability,  has  had  a  large  influence  in  Bible 
school  work  throughout  the  State.  The  school  has  prospered 
through  the  years.  It  has  never  taken  a  vacation.  It  is  not 
now  as  large  as  it  once  was,  but  is  still  a  large  factor  in  the  re- 
ligious life  of  the  community.  The  officers  now  are:  Super- 
intendent, B.  R.  Crandall ;  Assistant,  W.  R.  Potter ;  Secretary, 
Mabel  C.  Sayre ;  Chorister,  Myrtle  Davis ;  Organist,  Grace 
Saunders. 

ATTALLA,    ALA. 

A  Sabbath  school  has  been  kept  up  regularl}-  at  Attalla 
for  about  a  dozen  years.  There  was  a  Bible  class  before  that 
time.  The  membership  is  40  and  the  average  attendance 
about  20.  W.  L.  Willson  is  Superintendent  and  Lena  W\\\- 
son  is  Secretary. 

Crowley's  ridge^  ark. 

In  September,  1901,  Miss  E.  A,  Fisher  organized  a  class 
of  boys  which  met  on  the  Sabbath  at  the  home  of  R.  J.  Ellis. 
After  Miss  Fisher's  departure  the  class  was  taught  by  William 
Bruce  till  his  removal  to  Gentry,  since  which  time  it  has  been 
taught  by  Mrs.  R.  J.  Ellis. 

fouke,  ark. 

Seventh-day  Baptist  families  began  to  move  to  Fouke  in 
September,  1890.  In  January,  1891,  a  school  was  organized 
on  the  dirt  floor  of  a  blacksmith  shop  belonging  to  Rev.  B.  F. 
Granberry.  The  Superintendents  have  been  (the  order  is  un- 
certain), Rev.  J.  F.  Shaw,  Rev.  S.  I.  Lee,  Rev.  B.  F.  Gran- 
berry, Stephen  Hills,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Roper  and  ]\Irs.  G.  H.  F. 
Randolph.  The  attendance  at  one  time  reached  60.  In  1899 
it  had  declined  to  10.  Since  that  time  it  has  gained  well.  The 
school  has  a  good  Home  Department  that  is  a  valuable  addi- 
tion to  its  work.  The  present  Superintendent  is  Mrs.  G.  H. 
F.  Randolph. 

GENTRY,    ARK. 

The  Gentry  Bible  school  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  desire 
on  the  part  of  four  families  to  unite  in  some  religious  service. 
These  families  were  those  of  R.  J.  !Maxson,  of  Pleasant  Grove, 
S.  D. ;  J.  L.  Williams,  of  North  Loup,  Neb. :  M.  L.  Maxson. 
of  Nortonville,  Kan.,  and  William  Ochs,  of  Dell  Rapids.  S.  D. 

The  school  was  organized  October  20th,  1900.     R.  J.  Maxson 

(20) 


SABBATH    SCHOOL    IJOARb.  32I 

Avas  chosen  Superintendent.     There  were  18  present.     The  at- 
:;endance  now  is  more  than  100. 

FOREIGN. 

SHANGHAI,    CHINA. 

The  Sabbath  school  in  Shanghai  was  organized  about 
1884.  Among  those  who  have  been  Superintendents  are:  D. 
H.  Davis,  Dr.  Ella  Swinney,  G.  H.  F.  Randolph,  yir.  Dzau- 
Sing-Chung,  ]Mr.  Tong,  Koeh-Yau-Tsong,  and  Koo-Pau-Zi. 
In  the  Sabbath  school  connected  with  the  church  and  held  di- 
rectly after  the  services  the  number  present  is  usually  about 
So,  but  has  been  more  than  100.  There  are  8  or  9  classes  and 
the  usual  officers  of  such  a  school.  The  International  lessons 
are  used. 

Within  the  walls  of  the  native  city  of  Shanghai  are  two 
day  schools,  which  on  the  Sabbath  are  united  in  a  Bible  class. 
\'erses  of  Scripture  are  selected  which  the  children  learn  and 
which  are  made  the  topic  of  a  little  talk  by  some  teacher  or 
missionary.  About  40  children  are  in  this  school.  There  is 
still  another  school  a  mile  west  of  the  mission  in  the  country, 
\\here  25  children  are  taught  by  a  native  teacher,  assisted  by 
the  foreign  missionaries.  The  International  lesson  is  used, 
Init  the  school  is  not  divided  into  classes. 

HAARLEM,    HOLLAND. 

A  Sabbath  school  was  organized  at  Haarlem  on  July  15th, 
1882.  This  was  done  at  the  suggestion  of  Rev.  W.  M.  Jones, 
of  London,  who  had  visited  Haarlem  the  year  previous.  Be- 
fore this  time  a  regular  Bible  class  had  been  held  on  Sabbath 
afternoon.  The  following  named  persons  were  present  at  the 
organization :  Brethren  J.  M.  Spaan,  J.  N.  Vander  Steur,  K. 
Trekema,  H.  A^ermeulen,  G.  \'elthuysen,  Sr. :  Sisters  S.  L. 
A'elthuysen,  M.  Taekema,  ]\I.  Spaan-\'ander  Laan  and  Catha- 
rina  de  Boer.  H.  Vemeulen  was  made  Secretary,  J.  M.  Spaan 
Treasurer  and  G.  Velthuysen  Leader.  The  present  member- 
ship is  20.  Regular  offerings  are  taken  and  any  amount  con- 
Iributed  above  the  running  expenses  is  given  to  the  China 
mission.  From  this  little  school  have  gone  out  many  strong 
men  and  women.  Two  are  missionaries  in  the  r^ast  Indies, 
two  are  in  the  Midnight  Missions,  one  lies  buried  in  the  fever- 


322  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

coasts  of  West  Africa.  And  these  are  not  all  the  faithful  and 
brave  ones.  This  school  studies  the  Bible  by  topics  or  books. 
The  gospel  of  Mark,  the  book  of  Acts,  the  life  of  Abraham, 
divine  healing,  the  book  of  Romans,  the  doctrine  of  baptism, 
etc.  Rev.  G.  Velthuysen  is  the  acknowledged  leader  and 
teacher. 

ROTTERDAM,    HOLLAND. 

This  Sabbath  school  was  organized  April  15th,  1893.  J.  F. 
Bakker  was  Superintendent  and  A.  Schouten  Clerk.  The  pres- 
ent attendance  is  from  15  to  20.  The  Bible  is  studied  by 
books  or  topics,  the  leader  giving  out  written  questions  a  week 
in  advance. 


THE 

SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST 

MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


REV.  OSCAR  UBERTO   WHITFORD,   D.   D. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,    p.  1361. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  OUR  HOME 

AND    FOREIGN    MISSION    WORK 

FOR  ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS. 


Rev.  O.   U.  Whitford. 


Seventh-day  Baptists  have  always  been  a  missionary  peo- 
ple. Seventh-day  Baptist  mission  work  in  this  country  is 
over  two  centuries  old.  In  1664  the  London  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists sent  Stephen  Mumford  to  Newport,  R.  I.,  and  it  was 
chiefly  through  his  labors  that  the  first  Seventh-day  Baptist 
church  was  oro;anized  at  Newport  on  the  23rd  of  December, 
1671.  In  1675  the  Rev.  William  Gibson  came  from  our  Eng- 
lish, brethren  as  a  missionary  into  the  new  countr\-.  In  1684 
Abel  Noble,  son  of  a  wealthy  Quaker  of  Bristol,  England, 
came  to  America  and  lived  in  Bucks  County.  Pennsylvania, 
lie  became  the  apostle  of  Sabbatarianism  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
under  his  teaching  and  influence,  sprang  up  the  German 
Seventh-day  Baptists.  Many  English  speaking  people  em- 
braced the  Bible  Sabbath  and  churches  were  organized  about 
the  year  1700  near  Philadelphia.  In  New  Jersey,  about  1700, 
Edmund  Dunham,  a  liaptist  deacon  and  licensed  ])rcachcr, 
came  to  the  Sabbath.  Largely  from  his  teaching  and  influ- 
ence others  embraced  the  Sabbath  and  in  1705  the  Piscataway 


326  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

church,  at  New  Market,  X.  J.,  was  organized.  But  the  mis- 
sionary work  of  our  people  had  its  beginning  chiefly  in  the 
Newport  church.  As  soon  as  it  became  strong  enough  it  sent 
out  the  minister  and  sometimes  w'ith  him  a  layman,  into  other 
parts  of  Rhode  Island  and  into  the  neighboring  State  of  Con- 
necticut, to  preach  the  gospel  and  the  Sabbath  truth.  As  the 
churches  increased  in  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut  they  met 
together  in  a  Yearly  Meeting  for  Christian  fellowship,  mutual 
benefit,  and  for  unity  of  effort  in  missionary  work.  Through 
the  influence  and  direction  of  the  Yearly  Meeting,  Elder  Henry 
Clarke  and  Abel  Burdick  were  sent  from  the  Hopkinton 
church  to  a  new  settlement  of  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  Brook- 
field,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  to  labor  among  the  people.  The 
result  of  their  missionary  visit  and  work  was  the  organization 
of*  the  Brookfield  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  in  1797,  and 
soon  afterwards  Elder  Henry  Clarke  became  its  faithful  and 
honored  pastor,  and  served  it  for  many  years  with  marked 
ability  and  success.  The  mission  work  at  this  time  wa?  to 
visit  and  preach  to  the  scattered  Sabbath-keepers,  to  the  new 
settlements  of  our  people,  organize  churches,  to  nourish, 
strengthen  and  build  them  up. 

This  seemed  to  be  the  chief  work  of  the  Yearly  Meeting 
in  those  years.  These  Yearly  Meetings  here  in  Rhode  Island 
Connecticut  and  also  those  held  in  New  Jersey  and  West  Vir- 
ginia, were  a  source  of  good  fraternal  feeling,  and  unity,  and 
of  spiritual  strength  and  growth  to  the  churches.  They  re- 
sulted at  length  in  the  formation  of  the  General  Conference, 
for  wider  church  fellowship  and  for  greater  concert  of  action 
in  missionary  effort.  It  was  chiefly  the  missionary  spirit  and 
work  that  led  to  the  organization  of  the  Conference,  that  by 
it,  missionary  labor  might  be  better  carried  on.  In  our  His- 
torical Sketch  of  our  mission  work  as  a  people  for  the  last 
century  we  shall  for  convenience  and  clearer  following,  pre- 
sent it  in  decades. 

FIRST    DECADE,     180O-181O. 

The  Conference  now  became  the  directing  power  in  mis- 
sionary work.  In  the  Conference  held  at  Hopkinton.  R.  I., 
September  8-12,  1808,  it  was  voted  that  the  church  at  Bur- 
lington be  visited  by  Brother  Matthew  Stillman  on  the  sec- 


HON.     WILLIAM    L.   CLARKE. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


MISSION". \KV    SOCIETY.  327 

end  Sabbath  in  November  next ;  by  Brother  William  Sattcrlee 
on  the  second  Sabbath  in  February ;  by  Brother  Abram  Coon 
the  second  Sabbath  in  May,  and  by  Brethren  Jabez  J>eel)e.  Jr., 
and  Matthew  Stillman  the  second  Sabbath  in  Au![^ust.  In  the 
(General  Conference  held  September  7-10,  1809,  at  Brooktield, 
N.  Y.,  it  was  voted,  "That  it  be  recommended  to  the  churches 
of  our  order  that  they  apjjoint  messengers  to  visit  the  remote 
branches  of  their  respective  clmrches,  and  where  there  may 
l»e  gifts  competent  and  memljers  sufficient,  to  form  or  organize 
sister  churches  ;  and  in  case  such  gifts  are  not  apparent,  to 
form  such  branches  into  classes  or  societies,  and  to  encourage 
them  to  keep  up  meetings  on  the  Lord's  Sabbath  ;  to  improve 
such  gifts  as  they  have,  and  keej)  a  faithful  and  loving  watch 
care  over  each  other,"  and  it  was  also  recommended  to  the 
ministers  of  the  several  churches  in  our  Union  to  visit  our  sis- 
ter church  at  Fjurlington,  State  of  Connecticut,  in  their  desti- 
tute condition  as  often  as  convenient.  In  this  period  or  decade 
there  were  the  Newport  and  Hopkinton  churches,  Rhode 
Island  ;  the  Waterford  and  Burlington  churches,  in  Connecti- 
cut;  the  Piscataway  and  Cohansey  (Shiloh)  churches,  in  New 
Jersey;  the  Berlin,  Brookfield,  DeRuyter  churches,  in  New 
York,  and  the  Salem,  Lost  Creek  churches,  and  the  church  on 
the  west  fork  of  the  ]\Ionongahela  river,  Virginia,  that  consti- 
tuted the  body  of  the  General  Conference  and  carried  on  the 
best  they  could  home  mission  work. 

SECOND  DECADE,    181O-182O. 

In  this  decade  there  was  quite  an  increase  in  the  number 
of  Seventh-day  Baptist  churches,  and  in  the  membership  of 
the  churches.  This  was  due  to  increased  missionary  effort.  At 
the  Conference  held  with  the  Cohansey  (now  Shiloh)  church, 
June  10-13,  1813,  it  was  recommended  "to  every  church  of  our 
order  that  can  with  convenience,  to  send  out  a  traveling  preach- 
er to  visit  their  brethren  and  destitute  churches  in  the  Union." 
In  this  period  missionary  work  was  organized.  In  the  churches 
were  formed  missionary  societies  for  raising  of  funds  and  for 
sending  out  traveling  ])reachers.  In  the  minutes  of  the  Con- 
ference held  at  Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  September  2^-2^),  1817.  it 
appears  that  missionary  societies  had  been  organized  in  sev- 
eral churches  for  carr\ing  on  missionar\-  labor  in  the  destitute 


328  SEVENTH-DAY    DAPTISTS  : 

churches  and  among  the  scattered  Sabbath-keepers.  The  mis- 
sionary spirit  had  deepened  and  broadened  and  was  taking  on 
a  wider  thought  and  scope.  In  the  circular  letter  of  the  Con- 
ference held  the  year  before,  with  the  Piscataway  church, 
N.  J.,  to  the  churches,  we  find  these  words :  "We  presume, 
brethren,  you  are  not  unacquainted  with  the  exertions  that 
are  making  in  these  days  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  con- 
version of  the  heathen,  and  the  diffusion  of  the  light  of  the 
gospel  amongst  those  that  are  in  darkness ;  we  recommend  to 
you  to  join  in  so  laudable  and  excellent  a  duty.  Already  has 
the  missionary  breeze  descended  on  the  waters  of  the  church, 
and  some  have  entered  into  the  plan  of  seizing  the  favorable 
gale  and  begin  to  form  societies  for  that  purpose.  Bear  in 
mind  the  value  of  the  souls  of  your  fellow-mortals,  and  lend 
your  aid  for  their  relief,  believing  that  he  that  feedeth  and 
teacheth  the  hungry  and  ignorant  soul,  lendeth  to  the  Lord, 
who  will  repay  in  due  season."  There  was  felt  and  seen  by  these 
church  missionary  societies,  the  need  of  some  central  society 
to  take  the  lead  and  direct  the  missionary  work.  Among  the 
brethren  of  this  decade  who  were  interested  and  active  in  mis- 
sionary effort,  was  Elder  Henry  Clarke,  pastor  of  the  Brook- 
field  church,  who  was  the  chief  leader,  no  doubt,  in  organizing 
the  Avork.  He  was  a  man  of  broad  mind,  a  warm  heart,  of 
sterling  character,  of  progressive  ideas,  and  great  energy.  He 
took  the  initiative  in  the  steps  of  missionary  organization  by 
reading  and  presenting  a  letter  of  request  from  the  Alfred 
Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  N.  Y.,  respecting  this  Confer- 
ence, taking  the  lead  of  the  missionary  plan  which  had  been 
already  begun  in  the  several  church  missionary  societies.  The 
request  was  fully  discussed  by  the  Conference,  and  by  vote  the 
following  proposition  was  recommended  "to  the  several 
churches  and  societies  for  their  consideration  and  proceeding 
thereon — and  if  approved  of  and  acted  upon  by  them  at  next 
Conference  it  will  be  considered  the  proper  method  of  send- 
ing out  missionaries  in  our  fellowship : — 

"In  answering  to  the  request  of  Sunday  churches  and  mis- 
sionary societies,  particularly  the  society  at  Alfred,  and  in  or- 
der for  the  systematical  arrangement  of  sending  out  mission- 
aries, or  traveling  preachers  of  our  fellowship — this  Confer- 
ence unite  in  commending  the  zeal  and  liberality  of  those  so- 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  329 

cieties  already  formed  for  that  purpose,  and  also  recommend 
to  all  the  churches  and  societies  in  our  fellowship  ( which  have 
not  already  formed  for  that  purpose)  to  form  themselves  into 
societies  in  their  vicinities,  for  the  promulgation  and  spread 
of  the  gospel  in  its  purity.  And  it  is  also  proposed  that  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference,  in  their  annual  ses- 
sions, be  considered  the  central  society  of  the  Seventh-day 
Baptist  order  in  North  America,  so  far  as  to  designate  the  can- 
didates, or  persons  to  be  sent  on  such  missions,  etc.  And  that 
in  the  course  of  their  annual  sessions,  to  appoint  a  committee 
of  their  number  and  fellowship,  to  consist  of  one  member  of 
each  society,,  if  practicable  (that  may  have  formed  themselves 
into  a  missionary  society)  which  committee  shall  be  denomi- 
nated the  Board  of  Trustees  and  Directors  of  the  Missions  of 
the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Order  in  America.  That  said  Board 
elect  their  necessary  officers  for  carrying  into  efifect  the  mis- 
sionary plan.  But  no  officer  of  said  Board  shall  receive  any 
emolument,  or  pecuniary  pay  for  his  services,  excepting  for 
necessary  expenses,  as  writing  and  printing  their  minutes,  etc. 
That  said  Board  shall  have  the  control  of  all  the  funds  or 
money  sent  in  or  entrusted  to  them,  by  the  several  societies 
and  of  all  private  donations  for  missionary  purposes,  and  shall 
also  direct  the  route  and  give  suitable  instructions  to.  and  re- 
commendations of,  in  writing,  and  also  fix  the  sum  to  be  al- 
lowed any  person  concerned  in  the  missionary  business  under 
their  direction."  This  proposition  goes  on  farther  to  state  the 
qtialifications  of  the  missionaries  to  be  sent  out,  their  duties, 
the  authority  given  them,  how  funds  shall  be  raised,  to  carry 
on  the  work.  It  also  advises  that  no  church  missionary  so- 
ciety shall  send  out  at  its  own  expense  any  missionary  with- 
out first  obtaining  the  approbation  of  the  General  Conference, 
for  the  person  so  sent  out,  and  further  it  shall  be  understood 
that  nothing  in  the  foregoing  proposition  or  plan  should  go 
to  prevent  any  church  in  our  fellowship  from  sending  out  their 
elder  or  preacher,  to  visit  particular  places,  at  their  own  ex- 
pense. 

At  the  next  Conference,  held  with  the  Berlin  church, 
X.  Y..  September  24-28.  1818,  this  plan  ofmissionaryorganiza- 
tion  for  carrying  on  missions  was  unanimously  adopted,  and 
the   following  Board  of  Trustees  and  Directors  of  Missions 


33*^  SEVEXTH-DAY    HAPTISTS  : 

was  appointed  to  put  the  plan  into  execution,  viz. :  Elder 
Henry  Clarke,  of  Brookfield,  N.  Y. ;  Deacon  Daniel  Babcock, 
of  Hopkinton,  R.  I. ;  Deacon  John  Green,  of  Berlin,  N.  Y. ; 
Barzilla  Randolph,  of  Piscataway,  N.  J.,  and  Abel  Burdick, 
Alfred,  N.  Y.  "After  the  adjournment  of  Conference  busi- 
ness the  Board  organized  by  electing  their  proper  officers  and 
after  thorough  examination,  recommended  and  unanimously 
made  choice  of  Elder  Matthew  Stillman  to  take  the  lead  in 
the  mission  for  the  year  ensuing,  and  Brother  Amos  R.  Wells 
as  his  concomitant  or  assistant,  which  was  to  the  full  and  en- 
tire satisfaction  of  all  the  messengers  and  brethren  of  the  Con- 
ference present.  The  President  of  this  Board  was  Elder 
Henry  Clarke  and  the  Secretary  Abel  Burdick.  At  this  Con- 
ference a  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Deacon 
Daniel  Babcock,  Deacon  John  Green  and  Abel  Burdick,  to 
draft  a  circular  missionary  address  to  all  the  brethren  and  sis- 
ters of  our  order  and  present  it  to  the  Conference  for  their  in- 
spection. This  address  was  prepared,  examined  and  approved 
by  the  Conference  and  was  ordered  to  be  published  in  its  min- 
utes. This  first  address  issued  by  the  General  Conference  was 
upon  missions  and  its  thought  and  argviment  upon  the  na- 
ture, extent  and  design  of  missions,  the  duty  of  our  people  to 
engage  in  missionary  efforts,  the  warm  missionary  spirit  per- 
vading it,  make  it  one  of  the  most  able  and  admirable  ad- 
dresses ever  given  by  our  people.  It  is  printed  in  full  in  the  Rev. 
James  Bailey's  History  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General 
Conference.  It  is  now  seen  in  thus  far  following  up  the  mis- 
sion work  of  our  people  that  in  September,  1818,  was  organ- 
ized the  first  denominational  missionary  society  for  carrying 
on  missions  and  that  the  General  Conference  itself  was  that 
society,  under  the  name  of  the  Central  Missionary  Society, 
with  a  constituency  of  church  missionary  societies,  and  the 
churches  themselves,  and  that  the  work  was  managed  and  di- 
rected'by  a  Board  of  Trustees  and  Directors  of  Missions  of 
the  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  the  United  States  of  America. 

At  the  Conference  held  with  the  Brookfield  church,  X.  Y., 
September  23-27,  1819,  a  constitution  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees and  Directqrs  of  Missions  drafted  by  a  committee  appoint- 
ed at  the  previous  Conference,  consisting  of  Eiders  Henry 
Clarke  and  Matthew  Stillman  and  Brother  Abel  Burdick,  was 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETY.  33I 

adopted,  giving  rules  governing  membership,  the  employ- 
ment of  missionaries,  the  raising  and  expenditure  of  funds, 
and  the  duties  of  officers  and  of  the  missionaries  employed. 
By  the  appointment  and  direction  of  this  Board  of  Missions, 
Elder  Amos  R.  W^ells  became  the  first  Seventh-day  Baptist 
missionary  under  this  new  plan  of  conducting  missions.       * 

At   this   time   there   were   fourteen   churches   constituting 
the  General  Conference,  having  an  aggregate  membership  of 

2,173- 

At  this  session  Elder  Amos  R.  Wells  presented  a  short 
summary  of  his  missionary  labors  during  the  summer  of  1819. 
He  left  Hopkinton,  R.  1.,  May  31st.  A'isited  the  Seventh-day 
Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey,  tarrying  with  them  three 
weeks.  He  traveled  on  horseback.  From  there  he  went  to 
\'irginia,  visiting  the  churches  and  scattered  Sabbath-keepers,, 
arriving  at  Lost  Creek  July  loth.  After  a  short  stay  there  he 
went  to  the  New  Salem  church  and  labored  about  three  weeks, 
having  the  pleasure  of  witnessing  the  profession  of  a  number, 
who  were  hopefully  converted,  and  waited  upon  them  in  the 
ordinances  of  the  gospel.  He  departed  the  first  part  of  August 
and  went  to  a  small  church  at  Mad  River,  Ohio,  that  was  once 
in  a  flourishing  condition,  but  from  some  cause  had  fallen 
nuich  to  decay.  His  going  among  them  diffused  a  general  joy 
aiid  was  productive  of  great  good  to  them.  On  his  way  to 
this  place,  some  250  miles  from  New  Salem,  he  attended  a  num- 
ber of  meetings  among  people  of  different  persuasions.  He 
returned  from  Mad  River  to  Harrison  Comity,  Virginia,  to  the 
work  which  he  had  left  a  few  weeks  before  and  had  the  joy 
of  baptizing  more,  which  made  in  all  35  that  he  baptized  in 
that  county.  From  \'irginia,  accompanied  by  Major  Richard 
Bond,  he  went  to  visit  Samuel  Bond  and  family,  living  in  Lib- 
erty Township,  Columbia  County,  Pa.,  held  one  meeting  there 
cMid  then  went  direct  to  Brookfield,  N.  Y..  to  attend  the  Gen- 
eral Conference.  W'c  have  thus  given  as  briefly  as  we  could 
the  first  missionary  tri])  of  our  first  general  missionary,  in 
these  early  times  of  missionary  laI)(M\  He  went  on  horseback, 
largely  through  dense  forests,  with  but  few  roads,  probably 
on  trails  and  paths,  directed  by  marked  trees,  fording  streams, 
sometimes  camping  out  at  night,  disturbed  by  the  cry  of  wild 
animals.     H  one  of  our  general  missionaries  of  to-dav  shoifld 


33^  SEVEXTH-DAV    liAI'TISTS: 

make  that  missionary  trip  on  horse  hack  he  would  find  e^ood 
roads,  guide  boards  at  four  corners,  beautiful  cultivated  fields, 
fine  farm  houses,  iron  bridges,  and  pass  through  flourishing 
towns  and  cities — well,  he  would  not  travel  by  horseback  or 
stage  coach,  he  would  take  the  steam  car  and  the  trolley. 

THIRD   DECADE,    182O-183O. 

In  1820  at  the  Conference  held  at  Piscataway,  X.  J.,  Sep- 
tember 21-25,  there  was  a  change  made  in  the  officers  of  the 
iNIissionary  Board.  Eli  S.  Bailey  was  chosen  President, 
Matthew  Stillman  Mce-President,  Abel  Burdick  Recording 
Secretary,  Lewis  Titsworth  Corresponding  Secretary,  and 
John  Langworthy  Treasurer.  As  some  changes  appeared  to 
be  necessary  in  the  constitution  it  was  voted  that  Abel  Bur- 
dick, Henry  Clarke,  Jr.,  and  William  Utter  be  a  committee  to 
revise  our  general  missionary  constitution,  or  draft  a  new  one, 
as  they  may  think  proper,  and  present  it  to  the  general  mis- 
sionary society  at  their  next  session.  The  missionary  spirit  and 
\\ork  ran  so  strong  it  was  thought  best  to  print  a  missionary 
periodical  to  promote  and  strengthen  the  missionary  interest 
among  the  people.  The  Conference  proposed  to  the  Mission- 
ary Board  that  a  new  periodical  work,  to  be  entitled  "The 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Magazine,"  be  published  by  subscription. 
It  was  considered  and  it  was  voted  unanimously  that  this  work 
be  encouraged  by  the  Board,  and  Henry  Clarke  and  Eli  S. 
Bailey,  of  Brookfield,  and  William  B.  Maxson,  of  Scott,  N.  Y., 
be  appointed  editors  of  the  work;  and  that  they  open  and  circu- 
late subscriptions  and  go  on  with  the  publication  as  soon  as 
sufficient  encouragement  can  be  obtained.  General  Mission- 
ary Amos  R.  Wells  presented  to  the  Board  of  Missions  at  this 
Conference  a  report  of  two  missionary  tours,  one  made  in  the 
fall  and  winter  of  1819,  the  other  in  the  spring  and  summer 
of  1820.  His  first  missionary  journey  extended  through  the 
churches  and  settlements  in  the  State  of  New  York.  He  was 
gone  over  five  months.  He  went  on  horseback  and  traveled 
one  thousand  and  fifty-five  miles,  preached  one  hundred  and 
eleven  times,  and  baptized  nine  persons.  His  second  tour  ex- 
tended from  Rhode  Island  through  Connecticut,  New  York, 
^^'estern  Pennsylvania,  Western  Virginia  and  thence  to  New 
Jersev.     He    was    gone    four   months,    traveled     1.566    miles. 


RF.V,  WILLIAM   B.   MAXSON.  M.   D..  D.   D. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  T,^^ 

preached  69  sermons,  baptized  24  persons,  and  assisted  in  or- 
ganizing two  churches,  viz.,  Verona  and  Scott.  His  traveling 
expenses  in  his  first  trip  were  $14.55  and  he  received  in  dona- 
tions for  missionary  work  and  expenses  $14.04.  In  his  sec- 
ond missionary  trip  his  travehng  expenses  were  $19,  and  he 
received  on  the  field  $41.31.  In  the  two  missionary  trips  he 
traveled  2,621  miles;  absent  from  home  9  months  and  13 
days,  and  his  expenses  in  all  were  $33.04.  The  Board  ap- 
pointed the  following  missionaries  for  the  ensuing  year.  Elder 
John  Davis  on  a  mission  for  three  months  to  Woodbridgetown 
and  French  Creek,  Pa.,  and  Lost  Creek  and  Salem,  Virginia ; 
Elder  Amos  R.  Wells,  general  missionary  for  the  year,  and 
Elder  William  F>.  Maxson,  three  months  in  the  northern  and 
western  parts  of  New-  York. 

In  the  sessions  of  the  ^Missionary  Board  of  the  years  182 1, 
1822,  1823,  1824,  of  this  third  decade,  we  find  reports  of  mis- 
sion labor  in  detail  which  are  too  full  to  incorporate  in  this 
sketch.  We  will  simply  outline  them.  In  182 1  Elder  John 
Davis  made  a  missionary  journey  through  Southern  Pennsyl- 
vania, Western  \'irginia,  Ohio  and  into  Indiana,  and  then  by 
a  northern  route  through  Ohio  to  Hayfield,  Pa.,  ordaining  there 
Isaac  Davis  to  the  gospel  ministry,  baptized  six  persons.  El- 
der Amos  R.  Wells  made  a  trip  from  Hopkinton  through  Con- 
necticut, to  Rensalaer  and  Madison  Counties,  New  York.  El- 
der William  B.  Maxson  traveled  from  Scott,  N.  Y.,  through 
Madison,  Oneida  and  Chenango  Counties,  bai)tized  23  per- 
sons. 

In  1822,  Elder  Amos  R.  Wells  gave  a  detailed  account  of 
an  extended  tour  from  Rhode  Island  through  Connecticut, 
New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana  and  New 
York,  occupying  10  months  and  22  days,  preaching  205  ser- 
mons, baptizing  5  persons. 

Elder  Amos  Satterlee  made  a  missionary  trip  of  ten  weeks 
through  Central  and  Western  New  York  and  Elder  John 
( ireen  went  from  Western  New  York  and  visited  the  churches 
and  scattered  Sabbath-keepers  in  X'irginia  and   Pennsylvania. 

In  1823  Elder  John  Green  reported  missionary  labor  per- 
formed chiefly  in  Piscataway  and  Shiloh,  N.  J.,  was  gone 
three  months,  administered  baptism  six  times,  baptizing  thirty 


334  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

persons  in  all.  Elder  Amos  Satterlee  also  labored  one  month 
and  nineteen  days  in  Allegany  and  Erie  Counties,  N.  Y. 

In  1824  Elder  John  Green  reported  mission  work  extend- 
ing from  DeRuyter,  N.  Y.,  through  Western  New  York,  into 
Virginia,  baptized  one  person  and  assisted  in  the  ordination  of 
Peter  Davis  and  Lewis  A.  Davis,  New  Salem,  Va.,  to  the  gos- 
pel  ministry. 

Elder  Joel  Green  labored  in  the  towns  adjacent  to  Scott 
and  DeRuyter,  N.  Y.  Elder  Daniel  Babcock  and  Elder  Rich- 
ard Hull  performed  missionary  labor  at  Independence,  N.  Y., 
and  in  Northern  Pennsylvania. 

Elder  William  B.  Maxson  labored  in  Adams,  N.  Y.,  and 
adjacent  towns,  visiting  Whitesboro,  Verona  and  Mexico,  N. 
Y.,  baptized  nine  persons,  two  of  whom  were  converts  to  the 
Sabbath. 

The  result  of  the  missionary  labors  in  these  years  gave 
encouragement,  growth  and  strength  to  our  people. 

At  this  session  of  the  Board  in  1824  a  new  constitution 
was  reported  by  the  committee  appointed  in  1820  to  consider 
the  changes  needed ;  and  adopted.  Under  this  constitution  the 
Board  was  denominated  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General 
Board  of  Missions.  The  Board  was  composed  of  delegates 
from  the  several  missionary,  Bible,  or  mite  societies  which  may 
be  disposed  to  vest  their  funds  in  the  Board  for  the  purpose 
of  promoting  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  societies  contri- 
buting annually  to  the  funds  of  this  Board  were  entitled  to  a 
representation,  and  every  such  society  so  contributing  was  en- 
titled to  one  vote.  The  object  of  this  Mission  Board  was  to 
promote  pure  and  undefiled  religion,  by  employing  mission- 
aries among  the  scattered  and  destitute  of  our  connection,  and 
other  parts  where  a  door  of  usefulness  may  be  opened,  and  by 
printing  or  purchasing  tracts  and  other  religious  books  and 
causing  them  to  be  distributed.  The  Board  under  this  new 
constitution,  which  took  in  a  wider  scope  of  mission  work, 
held  its  first  annual  session  at  Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  June  8,  1825. 
At  this  session  the  following  missionaries  reported  missionary 
labor:  Elder  Lewis  A.  Davis  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  baptized 
six  persons  and  organized  a  church  at  Pipe,  Clark  County, 
Ohio ;  Elder  Joel  Green,  in  Central  and  Northern  New  York, 
baptized  four  persons  and  assisted  in  ordaining  one  elder ;  El- 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETY.  335 

cler  Job  Tyler  labored  in  tbe  same  section  ;  Elder  Richard  Hull 
in  \\' estern  Xew  York,  baptizing  several  persons ;  Elder  Daniel 
Babcock  on  the  same  field  baptizing  five  persons  ;  Elder  Amos 
Satterlee  labored  in  the  same  territory  with  good  results ;  on 
this  field  two  churches  were  organized,  one  at  Troupsburg 
and  one  at  Independence,  N.  Y.  Elder  Matthew  Stillman  la- 
bored eighteen  days  in  Rhode  Island  and  in  Massachusetts, 
and  Elder  William  Green  in  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.,  twelve 
days.  In  1826,  1827,  1828  the  Board  under  the  new  constitu- 
tion held  their  annual  session  in  connection  with  the  General 
Conference.  Missionaries  were  appointed,  nearly  the  same 
persons  as  above  named,  having  the  same  fields  of  labor  as 
before,  who  presented  their  reports  of  labor  each  year.  The 
funds  to  support  this  home  mission  work  were  furnished  b\- 
the  auxiliary  missionary  societies  in  the  dift'erent  churches,  and, 
by  individual  contributions. 

In  this  decade  was  published  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Missionary  INIagazine.  Its  first  number  was  published  in 
August,  182 1.  The  editors  were  Eli  S.  Bailey,  Henry  Clarke, 
Jr.,  and  William  B.  Maxson.  This  magazine  continued 
through  two  volumes  of  sixteen  numbers,  from  August,  182 1. 
to  September,  1825,  four  years,  when  it  was  suspended  be- 
cause of  inadequate  support. 

In  1828  it  was  deemed  advisable  by  the  leaders  and  work- 
ers in  missionary  effort,  in  order  to  interest  our  people  more 
generally  in  missions,  and  for  more  efficient  work,  and  greater 
usefulness  in  spreading  the  gospel,  to  have  a  new  and  more  in- 
dependent organization  by  which  to  prosecute  missionary 
labors.  Accordingly  they  met  in  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
meeting  house  in  Piscataway.  X.  J.,  October  3rd,  1828,  to  or- 
ganize such  a  missionary  society  by  considering  a  constitution 
previously  drafted,  which  they  adopted  and  formed  the  new 
organization,  which  was  called  "The  American  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society."  The  basis  of  membership  in  this 
society  was  the  payment  of  one  dollar  into  the  funds  of  the 
society  and  engaging  to  pay  the  same  annually  :  by  paying  ten 
dollars  at  one  time,  or  the  same  at  two  payments,  constituted 
one  a  life  member:  and  any  missionary,  mite,  or  Bible  Society 
contributing  annually  to  the  funds  of  this  society  was  entitled 
to  a  vote  for  every  two  dollars  so  paid.     The  object  of  this  new 


2,2,^  SEVEXTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

societ}-  was  to  aid  in  sending  tlie  gospel  to  the  destitute  and 
scattered  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  denomination,  and  to  im- 
prove opportunities  of  disseminating  gospel  truth  wherever  a 
door  of  usefulness  shall  be  opened. 

The  officers  chosen  under  this  new  missionarv  organiza- 
tion were :  Eli  S.  Bailey,  Brookfield,  N.  Y.,  President ;  Mat- 
thew Stillman,  Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  First  Vice-President;  John 
Davis,  Shiloh.  N.  J.,  Second  Vice-President ;  John  Watson, 
Piscataway,  X.  J.,  Third  \'ice-President ;  John  Alaxson,  Hom- 
er. N.  Y..  Fourth  Vice-President ;  Nathan  Green,  Alfred,  X. 
Y.,  Fifth  \'ice-President ;  William  B.  Maxson,  Brookfield,  N. 
Y.,  Recording  Secretary ;  Jonathan  R.  Dunham,  Piscataway, 
X.  J.,  Treasurer;  John  Bright,  Stoe  Creek.  X.  J..  Correspond- 
ing Secretary ;  Charles  Davis,  Abram  D.  Titsworth,  Randolph 
Dunham,  of  Piscataway ;  Jacob  D.  Babcock,  Hopkinton ;  Wil- 
lard  D.  Wilcox,  Scott,  X.  Y. ;  Samuel  B.  Crandall,  Brookfield ; 
Silas  Stillman,  Maxson  Green,  Alfred,  and  Clarke  Stillman, 
Homer,  were  appointed  Directors.  Agents  for  the  society 
were  appointed  for  the  various  parts  of  the  denomination.  Or- 
son Campbell.  Joel  Greene  and  John  Watson  were  chosen  to 
be  employed  as  traveling  preachers  and  missionaries  the  ensu- 
ing year. 

The  American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society 
having  assumed  the  missionary  work  of  the  denomination,  the 
General  Missionary  Board  of  the  General  Conference  con- 
cluded its  business  at  its  next  session  held  at  Hopkinton,  R.  I., 
September  30,  1829,  transferred  its  affairs  to  the  Missionary 
Society  and  adjourned  sine  die.  From  this  date  the  manage- 
ment and  direction  of  our  missionary  work  are  more  separate 
from  the  General  Conference,  and  hence  its  history  is  more 
separate  from  that  of  the  Conference. 

The  second  session  of  the  American  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  at  Hopkinton.  R.  I.,  Septem- 
ber 30,  1829.  Reports  of  officers  and  missionaries  were  pre- 
sented and  approved.  Officers  were  chosen,  mainly  the  same 
as  the  previous  year.  The  missionaries  chosen  to  labor,  most 
of  them  six  months  of  the  year,  were  Lewis  A.  Davis.  William 
B.  Maxson,  Matthew  Stillman,  John  Watson,  Daniel  Coon  and 
Alexander  Campbell. 

This  third  decade  of  the  past  century  of  our  mission  work 
(21) 


A  GROUP  OF  RKPRESICNTATIVE  MISSIONARY   WORKERS, 
Rev.  Azor  Estee.  Rev.   Saniiu-I    R.    Wlioclor. 

Rev.  David  Qawson.  Rov.   loliii   (irecnc 


See      liiographical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  337 

was  marked  for  its  increased  missionary  spirit  and  great  ac- 
tivity in  the  work.  Our  people  thereby  made  a  rapid  growth 
in  those  ten  years.  At  the  close  of  this  decade  the  General 
Conference  was  composed  of  2"]  churches,  of  an  aggregate 
membership  of  about  3,400. 

'  FOURTH  DECADE,    183O-184O. 

There  was  no  change  in  the  management  of  our  missions 
in  this  decade.  All  the  missionary  work  was  carried  on  by  the 
American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  There 
were  more  or  less  changes  in  the  officers,  directors  and  agents 
of  the  society.  The  society  increased  in  membership,  in  means 
and  in  efficiency.  By  its  earnest  and  broad  work,  the  needy 
and  destitute  churches  were  well  cared  for,  much  evangelistic 
work  was  done,  the  scattered  and  isolated  Sabbath-keepers 
were  visited  and  encouraged  to  be  faithful.  The  following 
new  missionaries  came  on  to  the  field  of  action  and  did  ef- 
ficient mission  work :  Nathan  V.  Hull,  Azor  Estee,  Stillman 
Coon,  David  Clawson,  Walter  B.  Gillette,  James  Bailey.  With 
these  many  of  the  old  missionaries  mentioned  in  the  previous 
decade  were  also  employed.  In  this  period  our  people  became 
much  interested  in  disseminating  the  gospel  among  the  Jews. 
In  the  session  of  the  Missionary  Society  held  in  1837.  the  Com- 
mittee on  Fields  of  Missions  recommended  the  consideration 
of  the  question  of  promoting  Christianity  among  the  Jews.  In 
1839,  at  the  session  of  the  Missionary  Society  held  at  Piscat- 
away,  N.  J.,  a  committee  of  five  was  appointed  after  much 
discussion,  consisting  of  William  D.  Cochran,  David  Dunn, 
Daniel  Coon,  John  T.  Davis  and  S.  M.  Burdick  to  take  into 
consideration  the  subject  of  a  mission  among  the  Jews.  The 
committee  reported  at  that  session  in  favor  of  such  a  mission, 
but  that  it  be  separate  from  the  domestic  or  home  mission  work 
which  the  General  Missionary  Society  was  carrying  on,  and 
recommended  "the  formation  of  a  Hebrew  Missionary  Society, 
whose  sole  object  shall  be  to  propagate  the  gospel  among  the 
dispersed  of  that  ancient  people."  According  to  this  recom- 
mendation the  friends  of  the  movement  met  at  the  meeting 
house  in  Piscataway.  N.  J.,  September  6,  1838,  to  consider  the 
question.  David  Dunn  was  made  chairman  of  the  meeting 
and  Paul  Stillman,  Secretary.     After  due  consideration  a  com- 


33^  SEV'ENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

mittee  of  five  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  for  a  He- 
brew Missionary  Society.  William  Stillman,  W.  D.  Cochran, 
Paul  Stillman,  John  T.  Davis  and  B.  F.  Langworthy  were  ap- 
pointed said  committee.  They  reported  in  the  afternoon  of 
said  day  a  constitution  for  such  an  organization,  which,  after 
some  amendments,  was  adopted.  The  society  was  called 
"The  American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Society,  for  the  promo- 
tion of  Christianity  among  the  Jews."  The  officers  chosen  of 
this  society  were :  David  Dunn,  President ;  Randolph  Dunn, 
George  Tomlinson,  J.  D.  Babcock,  Maxson  Greene,  W.  B. 
Gillette,  Vice-Presidents;  A.  D.  Titsworth,  Corresponding 
Secretary ;  Randolph  Dunham,  Recording  Secretary ;  T.  B. 
Stillman,  Treasurer.  A  long  list  of  Directors  was  appointed 
from  all  parts  of  the  denomination.  The  Board  of  Directors 
was  instructed  to  obtain  a  suitable  person  to  engage  in  a  mis- 
sion to  the  Jews,  for  an  indefinite  period  of  time,  and  as  soon 
as  a  person  was  obtained  the  society  should  proceed  to  solicit 
subscriptions  for  carrying  on  the  mission.  In  the  first  session 
of  the  society  after  its  organization  held  at  Brookfield,  N.  Y., 
September  13,  1839,  it  appears  that  the  Board  of  Directors  had 
engaged  the  services  of  Elder  William  B,  Maxson  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  Jews  and  that  he  entered  upon  his  labors  in  ihe 
city  of  New  York  in  January,  1839.  He  devoted  the  greater 
part  of  his  time  at  first  in  visiting  the  principal  Jews  in  the 
city  in  their  houses,  places  of  business,  and  in  the  synagogues 
and  forming  their  acquaintance.  He  was  treated  kindly  and 
with  sociability.  They  were  willing  to  converse  upon  their 
religious  sentiments,  but  this  was  limited  to  what  related  to 
opinions.  They  uniformly  declined  offering  any  opportunity 
of  religious  exercises,  not  excepting  prayer  in  their  houses  by 
a  Christian.  There  was  no  opportunity  of  offering  them  any 
instruction  in  their  synagogues,  as  they  allow  none  but  Jev/s 
to  perform  any  part  of  religious  service  among  them.  From 
repeated  assurances  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  Jews  that  they 
would  attend  his  preaching,  if  Mr.  Maxson  would  hold  his 
meetings  at  a  convenient  place  for  them  to  attend,  the  lecture 
room  of  the  "Lyceum  of  Natural  History,"  in  Broadway,  was 
rented  for  Sabbath  afternoons  for  a  term  of  three  months  at 
the  rate  of  $200  per  annum.  The  opening  of  this  place  of  wor- 
ship on  the  Sabbath  was  published  in  a  number  of  city  papers. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  339 

and  notices  carried  to  the  officers  of  the  principal  synagogues 
in  the  city,  but  they  declined  to  publish  a  meeting  for  Chris- 
tian worship.  While  some  Jews  attended  these  meetings  on 
the  Sabbath,  there  were  no  steady  attendants,  and  as  the  pros- 
pects were  not  favorable  for  an  enlargement  of  the  congrega- 
tion from  the  Jewish  people,  the  lecture  room  was  not  occu- 
pied longer  than  the  three  months,  and  services  were  held  af- 
terwards alternately  in  the  house  of  T.  B.  Stillman,  in  New 
York  City,  and  Sister  Rogers,  in-  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  In  the  re- 
port of  the  directors  of  the  society  it  is  stated  that  from  the 
difficulty  of  communicating  religious  instruction  directly  to 
this  people,  and  of  calling  their  attention  to  the  claims  of 
Christianity  by  preaching  and  conversation  it  has  been  thought 
expedient  by  the  Board  to  direct  a  tract  to  be  written,  address- 
ed particularly  to  them,  which  should  be  calculated  to  direct 
their  attention  to  the  subject  of  Christianity.  Such  a  tract 
was  written,  entitled  "An  inquiry  into  the  prophetic  character 
cl  the  ^lessiah,"  and  was  published,  containing  about  forty  12 
mo.  pages,  for  distribution  among  such  Jews  as  could  and 
would  read  it.  There  were  stated  in  this  report  also  the  fol- 
lowing difficulties,  which  the  missionary  had  to  contend  with 
in  his  labors  among  the  Jews : 

1.  The  great  proportion  of  foreigners  among  them. 
There  were  two  classes  of  them ;  the  Portuguese  and  Spanish 
Jews,  and  the  German  and  Polish  Jews.  These  had  but  little 
intercourse  in  their  synagogues.  As  they  were  little  acquaint- 
ed with  the  English  language  labor  among  them  was  much 
limited  either  in  preaching  or  conversation. 

2.  In  general  the  Jews  appeared  not  only  to  be  destitute 
of  everything  like  spirituality,  but  seemed  entirely  to  misap- 
prehend the  Christian  idea  of  the  iiczv  birth.  They  considered 
conversion  to  Christianity  from  among  them,  as  apostasy  to 
a  corrupt  and  idolatrous  religion.  They  paid  but  little  atten- 
tion to  Judaism,  and  mostly  carried  on  their  business  on  the 
Sabbath  and  seldom  attended  the  synagogues  except  on  festi- 
val occasions. 

3.  Another  difficulty  was  found  in  their  bigotry  in  favor 
of  their  own  religious  opinions.  Those  of  them  who  believed 
in  the  Mosaic  Revelation  strongly  contended  that  they  were 


340  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

in  the  right,  and  Christians  were  wrong  in  regard  to  the  very 
foundation  of  their  reHgion. 

4.  A  missionary  among  them  encounters  this  difficulty, 
that  those'  who  understand  the  Hebrew  deny  our  translation 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  our  application  of  the  prophecies,  and 
by  their  expertness  in  the  original,  have  a  decided  advan  a^j^e 
in  verbal  debate.  They  say  that  our  Scriptures  abound  in  er- 
rors, occasioned  either  by  the  translators'  ignorance  of  the  He- 
brew, or  by  an  intention  to  conform  the  translation  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Christian  religion,  hence  the  missionary  can  take 
no  common  ground  with  them. 

.5.  Another  difficulty  with  them  is  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
divinity  of  the  Messiah.  They  contend  that  such  a  character 
is  not  given  him  by  the  prophets — the  Scriptures  of  the  New 
Testament  they  do  not  allow  to  be  witness  on  this  subject. 

6.  There  is  found  in  them  this  difficulty :  their  strong 
prejudice  against  the  Christian  religion  from  the  great  suffer- 
ing of  their  nation  under  Christian  powers.  From  these  dif- 
ficulties in  the  way  of  the  conversion  of  the  Jews  aside  from 
the  prophecies  and  promises  of  the  Scriptures  the  Board  hoped 
for  but  little  success  in  their  undertaking.  The  Board  propos- 
ed, if  the  society  should  decide  to  continue  the  work,  that  the 
missionary  laboring  in  New  York  City  as  his  headquarters,  ex- 
tend his  visitation  to  Jews  in  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Rich- 
mond and  other  cities  south,  as  far  as  practicable,  and  that 
the  tract  in  press  be  published  also  in  the  German  language 
to  be  circulated  among  the  German  Jews  in  New  York.  The 
constitution  was  revised,  and  the  society  was  called  "The 
American  Evangelical  Board  of  Directors  for  Disseminating 
Religious  Truth  among  the  Jews."  Under  the  revised  con- 
stitution the  following  officers  were  chosen :  David  Dunn, 
President;  Eli  S.  Bailey  and  Stillman  Coon,  Vice-Presidents; 
Isaac  H.  Dunn,  Corresponding  Secretary ;  Thomas  S.  Alberti, 
Recording  Secretary;  T.  B.  Stillman,  Treasurer';  Randolph 
Dunham,  A.  D.  Titsworth,  Randolph  Dimn,  Executive  Com- 
mittee for  one  year;  Thomas  S.  Alberti,  John  D.  Titsworth, 
Asa  Dunn,  Executive  Committee  for  two  years. 

FIFTH   DECADE,    184O-185O. 

The   American    Seventh-day    Baptist    Missionary    Society 
met  with  the  first  church  in  Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  September  6th, 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  34I 

1840.  The  following  officers  were  chosen  for  the  ensuing 
}ear:  Alexander  Campbell,  President;  David  Dunn,  John 
Maxson,  Halsey  H.  Baker.  Azor  Estee.  James  R.  Irish,  Vice- 
Presidents  ;  Azor  Estee,  Recording  Secretary ;  James  Bailey 
and  Walter  B.  Gillette,  Corresponding  Seretaries ;  Henry  C. 
Hubbard.  Treasurer ;  George  P.  Maxson,  Henry  Clarke,  I.  D. 
Titsworth,  Auditing  Committee ;  J.  R.  Irish,  Maxson  Greene, 
Charles  Langworthy,  Luke  Maxson.  Jr.,  Nathan  Lanphear, 
Executive  Committee. 

Elder  James  Bailey  reported  missionary  labor  performed 
during  the  year  and  he  received  $14  per  month  for  his  ser- 
vices. Elder  James  H.  Cochran  was  appointed  missionary  for 
the  ensuing  year  to  labor  within  the  bounds  of  the  denomina- 
tion, to  preach  the  gospel  among  the  feeble  churches  and  to 
''visit  the  more  highly  privileged  churches  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  their  contributions  in  aid  of  the  objects  of  this  so- 
ciety." Local  agents  of  the  society  were  appointed  in  all  the 
churches  to  represent  and  labor  for  the  interests  of  the  society. 
The  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christianity  among  the  Jews 
met  also  in  connection  with  the  General  Conference  at  Hop- 
kinton.  Elder  W.  B.  Maxson  had  been  continued  during  the 
year  as  a  missionary  among  the  Jews  in  New  York  and  had 
spent  a  few  weeks  among  the  Jews  in  Philadelphia.  He  found 
the  same  difficulties  this  year  attending  his  efforts  to  press 
upon  them  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  as  in  the  previous  year. 
The  tract  which  was  published  by  the  society  on  "The  Pro- 
phetic Character  of  the  Messiah"  was  freely  distributed  among 
the  Jews  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  but  the  funds  did  not 
warrant  its  publication  in  the  German  language. 

In  1 841  the  American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary 
Society  held  its  annual  meeting  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  September 
/th,  in  connection  with  the  General  Conference.  Reports 
were  received  from  James  H.  Cochran  and  Varnum  Hull  of 
missionary  work  performed  among  the  feeble  churches  and 
scattered  Sabbath-keepers.  It  was  voted,  "That  this  society 
will,  with  the  blessing  of  God.  employ  one  or  more  minister- 
ing brethren  during  the  coming  year  to  travel  through  our  so- 
cieties and  the  regions  where  our  brethren  have  made  settle- 
ments, to  preach  the  gospel  and  solicit  funds  in  aid  of  the  so- 
ciety's object."     The  appointment  of  such  missionaries  was  re- 


34^2  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

ferred  to  the  Executive  Committee  with  instruction  tliat  they 
see  that  the  vote  of  the  society  be  carried  out. 

The  following  officers  were  chosen  for  the  ensuing  year: 
William  B.  Maxson,  President ;  David  Dunn,  David  Stillman, 
John  Whitford,  Jacob  D.  Babcock,  William  Greene,  Vice- 
Presidents  ;  Walter  B.  Gillette,  Corresponding  Secretary ; 
Henry  C.  Hubbard,  Treasurer ;  David  Maxson,  Ephraim  ]\Iax- 
son,  A.  A.  F.  Randolph,  Auditing  Committee ;  Ephraim  Max- 
son, Adin  Burdick,  Benjamin  Burdick,  William  B.  Maxson, 
Samuel  B.  Crandall,  Executive  Committee.  In  this  year  no 
work  was  done  among  the  Jews  because  no  missionary  could 
be  obtained.  According  to  a  resolution  that  had  been  passed 
the  previous  year  by  the  Board  of  Directors  for  disseminating 
religious  truth  among  the  Jews,  that  some  suitable  person 
should  be  preparing  for  such  a  field  of  labor,  "the  Executive 
Committee  conferred  with  Brother  George  B.  Utter  on  the 
subject  of  preparing  himself  for  the  work.  Mr.  Utter  short- 
ly after  located  himself  in  New  York  City  and  obtained  a  place 
in  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the  city,  in  which  he  continued 
until  its  vacation  in  May.  He  was  unable  to  render  any  very 
essential  service  to  the  Board,  as  his  studies  required  the  whole 
of  his  time."  The  officers  of  the  society  for  mission  work 
among  the  Jews  elected  for  the  ensuing  year  were :  David 
Dunn,  President ;  Lucius  Crandall  and  Eli  S.  Bailey,  A^ice- 
Presidents ;  Thomas  S.  Alberti,  Secretary ;  T.  B.  Stillman,- 
Treasurer. 

In  1842  the  American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety held  its  annual  meeting  at  Berlin,  N.  Y.,  September  6th, 
in  connection  with  Conference.  Several  of  the  pastors  of  the 
churches  reported  the  formation  of  Auxiliary  Missionary  So- 
cieties in  their  churches. 

Walter  Gillette,  Varnum  Hull,  James  L.  Scott,  Stillman 
Coon  and  N.  V.  Hull  reported  missionary  work  performed 
during  the  year,  but  the  places  or  churches  where  they  did 
such  work  are  not  given  in  the  minutes.  The  constitution  of 
the  society  was  amended  in  the  fourth  article,  making  ten  dol- 
lars the  amount  of  money  to  be  paid  for  life  membership. 
S.  S.  Griswold  had  served  the  society  a  part  of  the  year  as 
traveling  agent,  to  secure  funds  for  the  society.  James  L. 
Scott  in  his  report  of  missionary  labor,  stated  that  he  labored 


Ri':v.  Il.\I.s^:^■  ii.  i'.akI'.r. 

See    IViooyaphical    Sketches,    p.   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  343 

in  the  States  of  Ohio,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  the  territory  of 
Iowa,  passed  through  Pennsylvania,  Indiana  and  Michigan, 
spent  seven  and  one-half  months,  traveled  by  his  own  convey- 
i;nce  3,800  miles,  made  400  family  visits,  attended  150  meet- 
ings, baptized  43  persons  and  organized  three  churches.  The 
officers  of  the  society,  appointed  for  the  ensuing  year,  were : 
William  B.  Maxson,  President;  David  Dunn,  John  Whitford, 
Azor  Estee,  Jacob  D.  Babcock,  Joel  Greene,  Vice-Presidents ; 
W.  B.  Gillette,  Corresponding  Secretary ;  Charles  H.  Stillman, 
Recording  Secretary ;  Henry  C.  Hubbard,  Treasurer.  An  Ex- 
ecutive Committee,  an  Auditing  Committee  were  appointed 
and  local  agents  of  the  society  in  all  the  churches. 

In  view  of  the  crippled  condition  of  the  benevolent  enter- 
prises of  the  denomination,  the  General  Conference  appointed 
a  committee  consisting  of  Thomas  B.  Brown,  Eli  S.  Bailey, 
Alex.  Campbell,  Paul  Stillman,  David  Dunn,  James  R.  Irish, 
\\'illiam  B.  ]\[axson.  Joel  Greene,  Azor  Estee,  Daniel  Coon, 
William  Satterlee,  to  devise  some  plan  by  which  these  benevo- 
lent enterprises  may  be  promoted  with  the  greatest  efficiency. 
The  committee  outlined  a  plan  for  advancing  the  cause  of  do- 
mestic missions  as  follows : 

I.  Each  church  to  consider  itself  a  missionary  society, 
raising  funds  each  year  for  the  missionary  cause.  2.  The  As- 
sociation to  which  such  churches  belong,  become  a  Central 
Missionary  Society,  to  which  these  churches  shall  be  auxiliary. 
3.  A  general  society  be  organized,  to  which  all  these  central 
societies  or  associations  shall  be  auxiliary.  4.  An  individual 
church  not  belonging  to  an  association,  wishing  to  help  in  the 
operation  of  the  general  society,  may  become  an  auxiliary  mis- 
sionary society.  5.  A  number  of  brethren  located  in  a  neigh- 
borhood remote  from  a  church  might  combine  for  the  promo- 
tion of  the  missionary  cause.  A  committee  was  appointed 
composed  of  T.  B.  Brown,  G.  B.  Utter,  E.  S.  Bailey,  H.  C. 
Hubbard,  W.  B.  Maxson.  B.  F.  Langworthy,  A.  Estee.  John 
Whitford  and  L.  Crandall.  to  draft  a  constitution  to  be  the 
platform  of  an  organization  of  a  domestic  missionary  society. 
Such  a  constitution  was  drafted,  which  constituted  the  begin- 
ning of  our  present  missionary  society. 

The  Hebrew  Missionary  Society  convened  at  Berlin,  X.  Y., 
on    the    evening    after    the    Sabbath,    September    10,    1842. 


344  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

An  essay  upon  "The  Condition  and  Prospects  of  the  He- 
brew Nation"  was  read  by  George  B.  Utter,  which  was  pub- 
Hshed  in  the  Register  by  request  of  the  society.  From  lack  of 
funds  no  missionary  was  employed  among  the  Jews  during  the 
year.  The  officers  elected  for  the  ensuing  year  were  David 
Dunn,  President;  Lucius  Crandall,  Eli  S.  Bailey,  Vice-Presi- 
dents ;  Charles  H.  Stillman,  Secretary ;  T.  B.  Stillman,  Treas- 
urer; Randolph  Dunham,  W.  B.  Gillette,  A.  D.  Titsworth,  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  for  two  years. 

In  1843  there  were  three  Missionary  Societies,  i.  The 
American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  2.  The 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Association,  a  new  organiza- 
tion for  missionary  work  recommended  at  the  Conference  of 
1842,  and  for  which  a  constitution  was  drafted.  3.  The  He- 
brew Missionary  Society,  or  Board  of  Directors  for  dissemi- 
nating religious  truth  among  the  Jews.  The  American 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society  held  its  anniversary 
at  Plainfield,  N.  ].,  in  connection  with  the  General  Conference. 
Its  mission  work  reported  was  in  the  usual  line  of  labor.  The 
report  of  the  Executive  Committee  was  not  published  in  the 
minutes,  so  the  missionaries  who  performed  mission  work  are 
not  given.  The  officers  elected  for  the  year  were  the  same 
elected  last  year.  There  was  some  difficulty  in  obtaining  funds 
during  the  year  to  carry  on  missionary  labor.  The  new  or- 
ganization, called  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation, also  met  with  the  Conference  and  after  amending  the 
constitution  was  fully  organized  and  the  officers  elected  were : 
Thomas  B.  Brown,  President ;  Azor  Estee,  Clark  Greenman, 
T.  B.  Stillman,  Vice-Presidents ;  W.  B.  Gillette,  Recording 
Secretary ;  Lucius  Crandall,  Corresponding  Secretary ;  Daniel 
Babcock,  Jr.,  Treasurer ;  Directors,  William  Potter,  F.  W. 
Stillman,  Randolph  Dunham,  John  Whitford,  David  Dunn. 
The  purpose  of  the  new  Missionary  Society  was  to  do  wider 
and  more  efficient  missionary  work.  Five  dollars  contributed 
annually  constituted  one  a  member,  and  each  subscriber  of 
$25,  at  one  time,  a  life  member.  Its  regular  meetings  were 
held  once  in  three  months,  and  five  members  constituted  a 
quorum. 

The  Evangelical  Board  of  Directors  for  prosecuting  mis- 
sion work  among  the  Jews  met  on  September  7th,  9  a.  m.  The 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  345 

Executive  Committee  in  its  report  stated  the  feeble  condition 
of  the  society  from  the  want  of  funds,  and  proper  agents.  They 
had  employed  George  B.  Utter,  of  New  York,  to  labor  as 
Providence  might  direct  among  the  Jews  while  on  his  visit  to 
London,  Liverpool  and  other  places  he  might  visit  in  Europe. 
They  also  recommended  to  continue  the  effort  to  provide  the 
tract  on  '"The  Destiny  of  Jews  and  Unfulfilled  Prophecies  Con- 
nected With  Them."  The  Rev.  L  P.  Labagh,  of  the  Reform- 
ed Dutch  church,  and  agent  of  the  American  Society  for  the 
]\leliorating  the  Condition  of  the  Jews,  was  present  with  them 
in  this  meeting,  who  by  invitation  gave  a  very  interesting  dis- 
course upon  "The  present  condition  and  prospects  of  the  Jews 
and  the  unfulfilled  prophecies  in  relation  to  this  ancient  people 
of  God."  Mr.  Labagh  was  requested  to  prepare  a  treatise  upon 
the  unfulfilled  prophecies  relative  to  the  Jews,  and  it  w^as  voted 
that  contributions  be  solicited  from  the  churches  to  defray  the 
expense  of  its  publication. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  w'as  requested  to  address  a 
''letter  to  the  Christian  public,  setting  forth  the  difficulty  un- 
der which  the  missionary  to  the  Jews  meets  from  the  unwar- 
ranted substitution  of  the  First-day  of  the  week,  for  the  Sab- 
bath, as  the  time  of  Holy  rest."  Mr.  Labagh  by  resolution 
was  requested  to  deliver  an  address  before  the  body  at  its  next 
anniversary.  The  constitution  was  amended  at  this  session  of 
the  Board  of  Directors.  The  name  of  the  body  was  changed 
to  "The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Jewish  Missionary  Society,"  and 
some  minor  amendments  were  made  to  several  articles.  The 
same  officers  were  elected  for  the  ensuing  year,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  Isaac  P.  Labagh,  of  New  York,  as  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary. 

The  American  Seventh-day  P^aptist  Missionary  Society  be- 
came merged  in  this  decade,  about  1846.  into  the  new  organi- 
zation, the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Association.  The 
name  of  the  Association  was  changed  afterwards  to  society. 
and  thereafter  the  missionary  organization  went  under  the  title 
which  it  now  has  under  its  incorporation  under  the  laws  of  the 
State  of  Rhode  Lsland.  In  1844  the  I'.oard  reported  that  five 
missionaries  had  been  employed  during  the  year ;  one  at  New- 
port and  adjacent  parts  of  Rhode  Island  ;  one  in  New  York 
and  Pennsylvania ;  two  in  Virginia  and  adjacent  parts  of  Ohio 


34^  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS*. 

and  Pennsylvania ;  and  one  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin.  In  1844 
also  began  the  agitation  of  the  question  of  carrying  on  a  for- 
eign mission.  The  interest  became  so  great  and  earnest  that 
subscriptions  were  opened  in  1845  for  the  purpose  of  estab- 
lishing a  foreign  mission  and  "that  the  Board  use  their  best 
endeavors  to  procure  one  or  more  individuals  who  may  be 
willing  and  qualified  to  engage  in  such  a  work."  Brother  Sol- 
omon Carpenter  and  his  wife,  Lucy  M.  Carpenter,  were  ac- 
cepted as  candidates  in  1846,  for  foreign  mission  work  and 
were  instructed  to  prepare  for  that  work.  Abyssinia  Proper 
was  chosen  as  the  foreign  field.  In  this  year  four  missionaries 
labored  on  the  home  fields,  viz :  Lucius  Crandall  in  Rhode 
Island ;  T.  E.  Babcock  in  Western  New  York ;  Azor  Estee  as 
an  itinerant  missionary,  and  R.  C.  Bond  in  Virginia.  In  1847 
Brother  Nathan  Wardner  and  wife  were  accepted  as  mission- 
aries to  go  with  Brother  and  Sister  Carpenter.  The  Abyssin- 
ian field  was  given  up  as  impracticable  and  China  was  chosen 
as  the  foreign  mission  field.  In  the  afternoon  of  December 
31st,  1846,  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  meetings  were  held  to  ordain 
Nathan  Wardner  to  the  gospel  ministry,  and  as  consecration 
services  to  set  apart  Mr.  Carpenter  and  Mr.  Wardner  as  mis- 
sionaries to  China.  January  5,  1847,  the  missionaries  sailed 
from  New  York  in  the  ship  Houqua,  bound  for  Canton,  China. 
After  a  voyage  of  112  days  they  arrived  at  Hong  Kong.  Mr. 
Carpenter  sailed  from  Hong  Kong  for  Shanghai  May  19th  to 
learn  the  desirableness  of  that  city,  in  regard  to  healthfulness 
of  climate,  and  also  the  facilities  for  a  mission  station.  July 
7th,  1847,  Mr.  Carpenter  was  living  in  a  rented  house  in  Shang- 
hai. The  other  missionaries  left  Hong  Kong  for  Shanghai 
July  i8th,  arriving  there  August  2nd.  In  1849  a  Chinese 
house  had  been  rented  and  fitted  up  for  a  chapel  and  dedi- 
cated. This  occurred  two  years  after  their  departure  from 
the  home  land.  Six  months  after  the  dedication  of  this  chapel 
their  labors  were  blessed  by  the  hopeful  conversion  to  Christ 
and  the  Sabbath  of  four  of  the  Chinese.  About  this  time  a 
day  school  was  opened  by  Mrs.  Wardner.  The  need  of  a 
chapel  of  their  own  was  felt  by  the  missionaries,  and  measures 
were  taken  to  raise  sufficient  funds  in  the  home  land  to  buy  a 
lot  and  build  a  chapel.  In  the  latter  part  of  this  decade  but 
little  was  done  on  the  home  fields.     The  foreign  mission  work 


REV.  SOLOMON  CARPKNTER,  D.  D. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  347 

had  absorbed  the  interest  of  the  people  and  also  the  funds  for 
missions. 

SIXTH  DECADE,    1850  TO    1860. 
CHINA    MISSION. 

In  July,  1850,  the  Shanghai  Seventh-day  Baptist  church 
was  organized  with  seven  members. 

On  November  22,  1851,  the  new  chapel  built  within  the 
walls  of  the  native  city  was  dedicated  to  the  service  of  the 
Lord. 

They  built  also  two  dwellings,  one  directly  over  the  chapel 
and  the  other  outside  of  the  west  gate  of  the  city. 

In  1850  the  Tai-Ping  rebellion  broke  out,  which  spread 
over  the  empire  and  carried  great  destruction  and  devastation. 
In  September,  1853,  a  local  insurrection  began  in  Shang- 
hai. Our  missionaries  w'ere  driven  from  their  homes  and  were 
compelled  to  seek  safety  and  shelter  with  friends  in  the  foreign 
settlement.  The  home  at  the  west  gate  was  partially  destroy- 
ed, but  the  Chinese  government  made  it  good  and  it  was  re- 
built. The  chapel  in  the  city  was  but  little  injured.  Our  mis- 
sionaries resumed  their  work  by  making  necessary  repairs  and 
opened  the  chapel  March  17,  1855. 

Because  of  the  sickness  of  Mrs.  Wardner  and  one  of  her 
little  boys  they  found  it  necessary  to  return  to  the  home  land. 
She  and  her  boys' sailed  February  19,  1856,  on  the  ship  Rock 
City  and  arrived  in  America  the  last  of  May.  By  her  over- 
taxing herself  in  visiting  the  churches  and  soliciting  funds, 
she  was  not  able  to  return  to  China  as  she  hoped  to  do. 

By  consent  of  the  Board,  Mr.  Wardner  returned  to 
America,  sailing  April,  1857,  and  arrived  in  September  at 
Plainfield  during  Conference  and  the  anniversaries.  Wx.  and 
Mrs.  Wardner  never  returned  thereafter  to  the  China  mission 
because  of  the  poor  health  of  Airs.  Wardner.  In  November, 
1858,  because  of  failing  health,  iNIr.  and  Mrs.  Carpenter  re- 
turned to  their  native  land.  The  mission  and  the  little  church 
of  eleven  members  was  left  without  missionaries  and  there  was 
no  native  preacher  then,  but  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lowry  kindly  con- 
sented to  preach  to  the  little  church  and  care  for  the  mission. 
A  native  convert.  Dzau  Tsuny  Lau,  came  with  Mr.  Carpenter. 
They  arrived  in  New  York  May  2^,  1859,  and  went  to  Plain- 


348  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

field,  N.  J.,  where  the  Eastern  Association  was  in  session. 
Their  presence  there  gave  great  interest  to  the  occasion.  While 
Brother  Carpenter  and  his  wife  remained  in  the  home  land 
they  visited  the  churches,  accompanied  by  Dzau  Tsuny  Lau, 
which  greatly  increased  the  interest  and  zeal  in  the  China  mis- 
sion. 

JEWISH   MISSION. 

It  appears  that  the  "American  Evangelical  Board  of  Di- 
rectors for  Disseminating  Religious  Truth  Among  Jews"  did 
not  do  anything  after  1843,  from  lack  of  funds.     The  efifort 
ceased.     After  the   Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Associa- 
tion engaged  in  the  work  of  foreign    missions    there    was  a 
meeting  held  in  1852  to  consider  the  question  of  establishing 
a  mission  in  Palestine.     The  subject  was  referred  to  the  Board 
of  the  society  and  in  1853  it  decided  to  take  measures  to  estab- 
lish a  mission  in  Palestine.     At  a  full  meeting  of  the  Board 
held  in  May  of  that  year  a  call  was  extended  to  Jonathan  M. 
Allen  and  William  M.  Jones  and  their  wives  to  go  as  mission- 
aries to  Palestine.     Mr.  Allen  could  not  be  released  from  his 
connection  with  the  Alfred  Academy  as  teacher  and  therefore 
declined  the  call.     Mr.  Jones  accepted  the  call.     It  was  thought 
best  by  the  society  that  an  industrial  or  agricultural  depart- 
ment be  included  in  the  mission  work  in  Palestine,  that  em- 
ployment might  be  given  to  the  poor  Arabs  and  Jews,  and 
thereby  bring  them  more  directly  under  Christian  influence  and 
instruction.     Mr.   Charles   Saunders,  of  Westerly,  R.   I.,  and 
his  wife  were  chosen  to  have  charge  of  this  department  and 
Mr.  Jones  was  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  missionary  work. 
A.  farewell  meeting  was  held  at  Pawcatuck,  R.  I.,  on  the  8th 
of  January,  1854,  and  on  March  nth  they  sailed  for  Palestine. 
On  arriving  at  Jaffa  our  missionaries  found  temporary  accom- 
modations till  they  should  be  able  to  select  a  location  for  the 
permanent    establishment    of   the    mission.     After    some    time 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  removed  to  Jerusalem,  but  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Saunders  remained  at  Jaffa,  where  they  carried  on  a  mission 
with  an  industrial  effort  connected  therewith.     Yet  the  agri- 
cultural project  did  not  prove  a  success,  though  not  fully  car- 
ried out.     Mr.  Saunders  conducted  services  in  Jaffa  for  four 
years  in  Arabic,  which  were  attended  by  many  Jews  and  Arabs. 
Tracts  were  distributed  in  the  markets,  which  induced  many 


MRS.   LL'CV  CI.ARKl-:  CARPICN'TF.K. 
See     HioiiyafhH-al    Sketches,    p.    1 361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  349 

to  come  to  the  services  which  were  held  regularly  every  Sab- 
bath. Mrs.  Saunders  did  considerable  medical  work,  treating 
many  vi'ho  came  to  her.  Mr.  Jones  did  some  missionary  work 
in  Jaiifa.  but  labored  most  of  the  time  in  Jerusalem.  Both  Mr. 
Jones  and  Mr.  Saunders  were  interrupted  in  their  missionary 
work  a  good  deal  by  sickness.  Mr.  Jones  lost  his  youngest 
child  and  his  wife  died  near  Jerusalem  on  the  12th  of  Octo- 
ber, i860,  and  both  mother  and  child  were  buried  on  Mt. 
Zion.  The  mission  did  not  succeed  in  the  lines  of  work  for 
which  it  was  undertaken.  For  lack  of  adec|uate  support  and 
from  some  mismanagement,  the  work  failed,  the  missionaries 
were  recalled  and  returned  to  the  home  land  in  i860. 

HOME   MISSIONS. 

But  little  missionary  work  was  done  in  this  decade  on  the 
home  fields.  In  the  first  half  of  the  decade  Elder  Samuel  Dav- 
ison, Elder  Lewis  A.  Davis  and  Elder  Stillman  labored  as  mis- 
sionaries in  Illinois  and  Indiana*;  Elder  Julius  M.  Todd  in  Cen- 
tral Wisconsin  at  Berlin,  Dakota  and  Coloma,  and  Elder  O.  P. 
Hull  in  Walworth,  Wis.  In  the  last  half  of  the  decade  Elder 
Lewis  A.  Davis  labored  in  Iowa  at  DeWitt  and  Welton,  Iowa. 
Elder  H.  W.  Babcock  for  several  years  at  Coloma,  Wis.,  and 
a  mission  was  begun  in  Dodge  and  Freeborn  Counties,  Minne- 
sota, in  1859.  at  Mantorville,  Trenton  and  Farribault,  with  El- 
der Phineas*  S.  Crandall  as  the  missionary.  The  General 
Society  and  the  Northwestern  Association  looked  after  these 
fields,  sharing  the  expense.  The  General  Board  in  one  of  their 
reports  stated  "that  the  West  is  yet  a  great  missionary  field 
and  affords  a  better  opportunity  for  the  successful  presentation 
of  the  truths  we  hold  sacred  than  any  other  locality.  Settle- 
ments are  constantly  forming  with  an  unformed  religious  char- 
acter. Many  of  our  people  are  locating  in  them.  Timely  aid 
furnished  would  enable  them  to  pre-occupy  the  ground  with 
Sabbafh-keeping  churches." 

SEVENTH    DECADE,     1860-187O. 
CHINA   MISSION. 

Brother  and  Sister  Carpenter  with  Dzau  Tsuny  Lau  re- 
turned to  China,  sailing  from  New  York  in  the  ship  N.  B.  Pal- 
mer on  the  2'5th  of  February,  i860.  An  earnest  appeal  was 
made  by  the  Missionary  Board  this  year  for  a  reinforcement 


350  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

of  the  China  mission.  Brother  and  Sister  Carpenter  arrived 
in  Shanghai  July  2nd,  i860,  and  found  the  members  of  their 
httle  flock  steadfast  in  the  faith.  One  member,  Anna,  had  died. 
An  earnest  appeal  is  again  made  at  the  anniversary  of  the  so- 
ciety, 1861,  for  reinforcement  of  the  mission.  In  1862  the  China 
mission  had  as  missionaries  only  Brother  and  Sister  Carpenter. 
The  Board  was  relieved  from  the  responsibility  of  the  support 
of  Mr.  Carpenter,  he  providing  for  his  own  support,  hence  the 
Board  urged  the  increased  responsibility  resting  on  the  de- 
nomination to  reinforce  the  mission. 

In  1863  Mr.  Carpenter  was  employed  for  some  months 
as  interpreter  at  the  United  States  Consulate  in  Shanghai,  re- 
lieving the  Board  in  part  for  his  support.  One  of  the  constit- 
uent members  of  the  church,  Le  Chong,  died  in  December, 
1862,  trusting  in  Jesus,  Mr.  Carpenter  in  July  of  1863  bap- 
tized five  persons.  On  account  of  poor  health  of  himself  and 
wife.  Brother  Carpenter  decided  to  leave  the  mission  and  re- 
turn to  America,  and  to  start  in  January  or  February,  1864. 
On  the  last  Sabbath  he  spent  in  Shanghai  before  he  sailed  he 
baptized  two  persons  who  were  added  to  the  church ;  one  of 
whom  had  been  a  Buddhist  priest.  In  1865  Brother  Carpen- 
ter and  wife  were  in  the  home  land  and  there  was  no  mission- 
ary on  the  China  field  except  natives.  By  the  suggestion  and 
advice  of  Mr.  Carpenter  there  were  appropriated*  twenty-five 
Mexican  dollars  to  four  native  preaching  brethren,  Chan 
Chung  Lau,  Kiang  Ouang,  Erlow  and  Lah  Chin  San,  for  them 
to  use  in  part  for  their  own  benefit  and  for  the  benefit  of  the 
poor  members  of  the  church.  At  the  anniversary  of  the  so- 
ciety held  with  the  First  church  in  Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  voted :  That  we  recommend  to  our  Ex- 
ecutive Board  to  extend  a  call  to  Brother  O.  U.  Whitford  and 
wife,  and  to  such  other  persons  as  it  may  deem  suitable  candi- 
dates, to  become  our  missionaries  in  China.  A  call  was  ex- 
tended to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitford,  but  after  prayerful  con- 
sideration, they  decided  to  decline  the  call.  Proposals  were 
invited  from  any  who  might  desire  or  feel  it  their  duty  to  en- 
ter upon  the  China  mission  work.  Several  were  applied  to  to 
engage  in  the  foreign  field  mission  work,  but  none  responded. 
At  the  anniversary  of  the  society  held  at  Albion,  Wis.,  Septem- 
ber, 1868,  the  following  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted: 


MRS.  OLTVI'.  l-ORBES  WARDNKR. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,  p.    136 K 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  35 1 

That  we  extend  to  Brother  and  Sister  Carpenter  a  cordial  invi- 
tation to  return  to  China  at  an  early  day,  if  they  can  consist- 
ently with  their  health,  and  that  we  pledge  them  our  support. 
They  gave  this  earnest  call  most  prayerful  attention  and  decid- 
ed that  as  soon  as  they  could  dispose  of  their  home  in  Milton 
they  would  return  to  their  beloved  charge.  This  was  not  ac- 
complished in  this  decade. 

HOME   MISSION. 

This  decade  w^as  one  of  increasing  interest  and  activity  in 
home  mission  work.  The  Great  West  and  Northwest  were 
opening  up  grand  opportunities  and  sent  forth  the  Macedonian 
cry,  "Come  over  and  help  us."  The  Associations  were  Auxil- 
iary Missionary  Societies  with  Associational  Boards  working 
in  connection  with  the  General  Missionary  Society.  The  la- 
borers on  the  home  fields  during  this  decade  were  L.  A.  Davis 
in  Iowa ;  Hiram  W.  Babcock  in  Central  Wisconsin ;  Phineas 
S.  Crandall  in  Minnesota,  in  i860  and  1861.  In  1861  the  Kan- 
sas field  at  Pardee  and  Emporia  was  opened  and  A.  A.  F.  Ran- 
dolph was  employed  as  missionary  with  a  view  to  a  permanent 
location  on  the  field. 

■Russell  G.  Burdick  labored  on  the  Berlin,  Wis.,  field.  In 
1863  Elder  Alfred  B.  Burdick  was  engaged  to  labor  in  Minne- 
sota and  vicinity  for  one  year.  In  his  labors  in  the  Northwest 
he  visited  Rock  River,  Edgerton,  Albion  and  Christiana.  At 
Albion  there  was  a  precious  revival  and  while  there  he  bap- 
tized forty-three  persons  and  fifty-one  were  added  to  the 
church.  He  also  labored  with  the  Berlin  and  Dakota  churches 
and  from  there  entered  the  Minnesota  field,  laboring  with  the 
Wasioja,  Trenton  and  Carleton  churches.  Elder  Thomas  E. 
Babcock  was  employed  on  the  Kansas  field  during  this  year 
(1863),  making  his  headquarters  at  Fremont,  and  to  visit  the 
Sabbath-keepers  in  the  State.  By  request  he  went  into  Ne- 
braska to  labor  with  Sabbath-keepers  who  had  come  from 
Ohio.  He  remained  some  ten  days  with  them  and  on  July 
9,  1863.  the  Long  Branch  church  was  organized  with  twenty 
members,  and  after  the  organization  twelve  young  converts  of- 
fered themselves  as  candidates  for  membership  by  baptism. 
This  year  Elder  James  R.  Irish  entered  into  the  service  of  the 
Missionarv  Board  to  labor  six  months  in  the  Second  and  Third 


352  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Genesee  churches,  New  York ;  Hebron  and  Ulysses,  Pa. ;  Will- 
ing, N.  Y.,  and  their  vicinities.  Elder  Libbeus  M.  Cottrell 
was  employed  six  weeks  in  Clifford  and  Greenfield,  Pa.  In 
1864  there  was  but  little  change  in  the  laborers  on  the  home 
fields.  Elder  A.  B.  Burdick  closed  his  labors  in  the  Northwest 
and  on  his  way  home  to  Rhode  Island  he  visited  some  of  the 
churches  in  the  Western  and  Central  Associations  to  lay  the 
subject  of  missions  before  them  to  arouse  greater  interest  and 
zeal  in  the  cause  and  to  raise  funds  for  mission  work.  Elder 
Joel  C.  West  was  settled  as  pastor  over  the  Trenton,  Minn., 
church,  and  Elder  George  C.  Babcock  over  the  Berlin  church. 
Wis.  Elder  A.  B.  Burdick  and  Elder  S.  S.  Griswold  raised 
money  in  the  East  to  aid  the  Wasioja  and  Trenton  churches  in 
erecting  suitable  houses  of  worship.  Brethren  A.  A.  F.  Ran- 
dolph and  Thomas  E.  Babcock  are  on  the  Kansas  field  and  Eld- 
er James  R.  Irish,  after  laboringin  the  feeble  churches  of  the 
Western  Association,  settled  as  pastor  of  the  church  at  Cusse- 
wago,  Crawford  County,  Pa.,  which  church  was  aided  by  the 
Missionary  Society  in  the  support  of  a  pastor. 

In  1865,  Brotlier  Solomon  Carpenter  and  wife  were  in 
the  home  land  and  the  China  mission  was  cared  for  by  four 
native  preachers,  Chan  Chung  Lau,  Kiang  Quang,  Erlow  and 
Sah  Chin  San.  The  Board  appropriated  twenty-five  Mexican 
dollars  to  each,  for  them  to  use  in  part  for  their  own  benefit 
and  in  part  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  members  of  the  church. 

The    Board   expressed   its   admiration   and    gratitude    to 

Brother  Carpenter  and  wife  for  their  long-continued  service 

in  the  China  mission,  and  it  wished  for  them  to  return  with 

co-laborers  to  that  field  when  health  and  circumstances  shall 

permit.     Being   desirous   of   immediately   supplying   the    field 

with  missionaries  the  Board  invited  proposals  from  any  who 

may  desire,  or  feel  it  their  duty  to  enter  upon  that  work.     On 

the  home  fields  under  the' direction  and  help  of  the   Board, 

Brother  A.  A.  F.  Randolph  was  at  Pardee,  Kansas ;  J.  R.  Irish 

at  Cussewago,  Pa. ;  A.  W.  Coon  at  Clifford,  Pa. ;  O.  P.  Hull 

at  Wasioja,  Minn. ;  Joel  C.  West,  with  the  Trenton  church, 

Minn. ;  B.  F.  Rogers  as  a  missionary  in  Sibley  County,  i\Iinn. ; 

Charles  A.   Burdick  on  the  Berlin  field,    Wis. ;    Charles    M. 

Lewis,  at  Woodville,  R.  I.,  and  DeRuyter,  N.  Y.     Efforts  had 

been  made  by  the  Board  to  obtain  laborers  to  go  among  the 
(22) 


MISSIOXARY   SOCIETY.  353 

freedmen  of  the  South,  and  to  occupy  the  foreign  field,  but 
without  success.  This  year  Elder  James  Bailey  and  Deacon 
I.  D.  Titsworth  did  some  voluntary  mission  work  in  the  West, 
the  good  deacon  bearing  the  expense.  They  labored  chiefly 
among  the  small  churches  and  scattered  Sabbath-keepers  in  Il- 
linois and  Kansas.  From  this  missionary  trip  they  gathered 
much  valuable  information  which  they  gave  to  the  Missionary 
Board,  and  also  wise  suggestions  in  regard  to  mission  work, 
which  needed  to  be  done  on  those  fields. 

From  November,  1865,  to  July,  1866,  Miss  E.  Cordelia 
Hydorn,  of  Hebron,  Pa.,  under  an  appointment  from  the 
American  Missionary  Association,  labored  as  a  missionary 
teacher  among  the  freedmen  near  Norfolk,  Va.,  on  a  planta- 
tion known  then  as  the  Taylor  farm.  As  she  wished  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a  missionary  teacher  of  our  own  Missionary  So- 
ciety, the  Board  granted  her  request,  and  appropriated  $150  to 
her  for  such  work.  In  the  report  of  the  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary for  1866,  a  summary  of  the  finances  showed  $2,302.42 
received  during  the  missionary  year,  including  the  balance  in 
hand  at  last  report,  and  $1,675.50  paid  out,  leaving  a  balance  in 
the  hands  of  the  Treasurer  of  $626.92.  On  the  home  field  the 
following  churches  were  aided  by  the  Board  in  the  support  of 
missionary  pastors :  Pardee,  Kansas,  A.  A.  F.  Randolph,  pas- 
tor ;  Cussewago,  Pa.,  J.  R.  Irish,  pastor ;  Clifford,  Pa.,  A.  W. 
Coon,  pastor;  Trenton,  Minn.,  J.  C.  West,  pastor;  Wasioja, 
Minn.,  part  of  the  year,  J.  C.  West,  pastor;  Carleton,  Minn., 
O.  P.  Hull,  pastor;  Berlin,  Wis.,  Charles  A.  Burdick,  pastor; 
Woodville,  R.  I.,  D.  Forbes  Beebe,  pastor ;  New  Auburn, 
Minn.,  B.  F.  Rogers,  pastor .  Brother  Charles  M.  Lewis  was 
sent  by  the  Missionary  Board  to  labor  at  Farina,  111.,  com- 
mencing his  evangelistic  work  there  in  the  fall  of  1865.  He 
remained  there  during  the  winter  and  on  April  14th,  1866,  he 
organized  the  Farina  church,  with  about  seventy  members.  He 
settled  there  as  the  pastor  of  the  church,  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety aiding  the  church  in  his  support.  Brother  Lewis  spent 
some  weeks  in  the  summer  of  1866  in  canvassing  among  our 
larger  churches  for  aid  in  building  a  house  of  worship  at  Fa- 
rina. He  was  successful  and  a  meeting  house  was  built.  El- 
der James  Piailey  was  called  this  year  to  labor  "as  an  evangelist 
in  the  West."     He  entered  upon  his  labors  in  June  and  spent 


354  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

the  summer  in  evangelistic  and  missionary  work  in  the  State 
of  lUinois. 

On  the  foreign  field,  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the 
society  reported  that  no  apparent  progress  had  been  made  in 
supplying  the  China  mission  with  a  missionary.  The  native 
converts  held  loyally  to  the  faith  of  the  true  religion.  One  of 
them,  Kiang  Quang,  an  elder  in  the  Shanghai  church,  had  lo- 
cated as  a  missionary  at  Lieu-oo,  "a.  place  some  thirty  miles 
from  Shanghai,  where  six  members  of  the  church  resided,  and 
where  they  had  hired  a  chapel  room,  for  the  purpose  of  hold- 
ing services  and  dispensing  medicines."  The  Missionary  So- 
ciety in  its  annual  report  for  1867  showed  an  increase  of  labor 
on  the  home  fields.  James  Bailey  spent  the  year  in  evangeli- 
cal labor  in  the  West,  chiefly  in  Iowa  and  Minnesota,  strength- 
ening the  small  churches  and  the  scattered  Sabbath-keepers. 
A.  A.  F.  Randolph  was  still  at  Pardee,  Kansas ;  J.  R.  Irish  at 
Cussewago,  Pa. ;  A.  W.  Coon  had  left  the  church  at  Dundafif, 
Pa.,  and  located  with  the  church  at  Lincklaen,  N.  Y. ;  J.  C. 
West  was  the  pastor  of  the  Wasioja  church,  Minn. ;  O.  P.  Hull 
served  the  Carleton  church,  Minn.;  Hamilton  Hull  located  with 
the  church  at  Emporia,  Kan. ;  H.  W.  Babcock  served  the 
church  at  New  Auburn,  Minn. ;  C.  M.  Lewis  labored  the  entire 
year  with  the  church  at  Farina,  111. ;  A.  C.  Spicer  spent  seven 
months  with  the  church  at  Trenton,  Minn. ;  S.  S.  Griswold  a 
part  of  the  year  at  Woodville,  R.  I. ;  S.  R.  Wheeler  commenced 
his  labors  in  April  at  Hebron,  Pa. ;  Thomas  Fisher  spent  one 
month  at  Otselic,  N.  Y. ;  J.  E.  N.  Backus  was  with  the  church 
at  Watson,  N.  Y. ;  A.  B.  Prentice  located  with  the  church  at 
Christiana,  Wis. ;  George  J.  Crandall  was  laboring  with  the 
Third  Genesee  church,  and  B,  F.  Clement  had  accepted  the 
pastorate  of  the  Long  Branch  church,  Nebraska.  All  these 
were  sustained  by  the  funds  of  the  Missionary  Society  cojoint- 
1y  with  other  Associations,  societies,  or  churches.  The  Ex- 
ecutive Board  of  the  Central  Association  decided  this  year  to 
place  the  missionary  interests  formerly  under  its  charge  in  the 
hands  of  the  General  Missionary  Society  and  so  notified  the 
society. 

FOREIGN   MISSIONS. 

No  reinforcement  of  the  China  mission  this  year.  The 
Shanghai  church  was  cared  for  by  native  pastor  Chan  Chung 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  355 

Lau,  assisted  by  two  elders.  One  of  the  church  members  died, 
one  was  expelled  for  bigamy,  three  were  added  by  baptism. 
Chan  Chung  Lau  wrote  Brother  Solomon  Carpenter:  ''I  re- 
gret my  inability  to  oversee  all  the  affairs  of  the  church  like  a 
foreign  bishop,  according  to  the  custom  already  established. 
Hence  I  long  for  your  early  return.  And  if  you  cannot  return, 
please  induce  some  other  one  to  come  and  take  charge  of  the 
tlock  in  China."  The  Corresponding  Secretary,  E.  G.  Champ- 
lin,  wrote  in  his  report:  "Thus  the  longings  of  these  poor 
souls,  who  dwell  in  the  glimmering  twilight  of  Christianity, 
should  put  to  blush  the  apathy  of  those  who  bask  in  the  noon- 
day light  of  the  gospel  dispensation." 

The  Treasurer's  report  for  1867  show'ed  that  the  working 
fund  was  $2,909.42,  moneys  paid  out  for  missionary  labor,  etc., 
$2,278.22,  leaving  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of  $631.20. 

The  anniversary  was  held  at  Albion.  Wis.,  September  ii, 
t868. 

On  account  of  the  sickness  of  Corresponding  Secretary 
E.  G.  Champlin  the  Missionary  Board  appointed  George  B. 
Utter  to  prepare  the  annual  report.  Brother  Champlin,  who 
had  served  the  society  as  Corresponding  Secretary  for  nearly 
nine  years,  w'as  succeeded  this  year  by  George  E.  Tomlinson. 
Two  former  missionaries  of  the  society  died  within  the  year: 
Elder  Lewis  A.  Davis,  of  Welton,  la.,  and  Elder  A.  A.  F.  Ran- 
dolph, of  Pardee,  Kan. 

THE  CHINA  MISSION. 

An  earnest  effort  was  put  forth  to  obtain  a  missionary  for 
China.  Correspondence  was  held  with  Brother  L.  R.  Swin- 
ney,  in  reference  to  his  entering  upon  that  work,  but  after  care- 
ful and  prayerful  consideration  of  the  question,  he  did  not  feel 
it  his  duty  to  engage  in  the  work  of  a  missionary  to  China.  Ap- 
propriation was  made  to  the  church  in  Shanghai  to  encourage 
native  missionary  and  pastoral  work  and  to  assist  needy  mem- 
bers of  the  church. 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

Elder  James  Bailey  was  employed  the  entire  year  as  a  gen- 
eral missionary  in  the  West.  Elder  Stephen  Burdick  was  em- 
ployed nine  months  as  a  general  missionary,  visiting  the  feeble 
churches  and  scattered  Sabbath-keepers  within  the  Central  and 
Western  Associations. 


356  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Elder  J.  E.  N.  Backus  was  missionary  pastor  of  the  Wat- 
son church,  N.  Y.,  part  of_^the  year. 

Elder  A.  W.  Coon  completed  his  year  with  the  Lincklaen 
church,  N.  Y. 

Elder  George  J.   Crandall  supplied  the  Third  church  in 
Genesee,  N,  Y. 

Elder  S.  R.  Wheeler  labored  throughout  the  year  with 
the  church  at  Hebron,  Pa. 

Elder  J.  R.  Irish  was  still  with  the  Cussewago  church,  Pa. 
Elder  C.  M.  Lewis  labored  with  the  Farina  church.  111., 
till  May  ist,  1868,  and  because  of  poor  health  he  was  granted 
a  leave  of  absence  for  a  .time. 

Elder  A.  A.  F.  Randolph  served  the  church  at  Pardee, 
Kansas,  till  his  death,  June  25th,  1868. 

Elder  O.  P.  Hull  continued  the  whole  year  with  the  church 
in  Carleton,  Minn. 

Brother  Henry  B.  Lewis  labored  with  the  church  in  W'asi- 
oja,  Minn. 

Brother  Hiram  W.  Babcock  was  the  pastor  of  the  Transit 
church,  Minn,  aided  by  the  society. 

Elder  Benjamin  Clement  served  the  Long  Branch  church, 
Neb.,  part  of  the  year,  then  moved  to  Welton,  la. 

Brother  L.  C.  Jacobs  was  with  the  Berlin  church,  Wis., 
six  months  of  the  year. 

Elder  Hamilton  Hull  was  sustained  as  pastor  at  Fremont, 
Kansas. 

The  churches  mentioned  above  were  aided  by  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  the  support  of  their  pastors.  The  Board 
in  its  October  meeting  voted,  "That  in  the  opinion  of  this 
Board,  the  churches  of  our  denomination  ought  to  raise  $2,500, 
during  the  coming  year,  for  missionary  purposes."  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  prepare  and  place  before  the  denomi- 
nation a  circular  on  the  subject,  which  they  did. 

The  anniversary  of  the  society  was  held  in  1869  at  Shiloh, 
N.  J.,  September  30th.  President  George  Greenman  presid- 
ed. Charles  A.  Burdick  was  Recording  Secretary,  George 
E.  Tomlinson,  Corresponding  Secretary,  presented  the  annual 
report. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  357 

CHINA   MISSION. 

Brother  Solomon  Carpenter  and  wife  did  not  see  their 
way  clear  to  return  to  China,  though  they  desired  to  be  at  work 
again  among  the  Chinese. 

A.  E.  Main  was  invited  to  enter  upon  the  work  of  a  mis- 
sionary to  China.  He  was  favorably  disposed  to  go,  but  he 
had  just  entered  upon  a  three-year  course  in  theology  and  was 
not  then  ready  to  accept  the  call.  The  little  church  in  Shang- 
hai was  in  a  better  condition  than  could  naturally  be  expected 
of  one  under  such  influences,  left  so  long  to  itself.  The  mem- 
bers, numbering  twenty,  were  steadfast  in  the  faith,  and  active 
in  service.  On  the  home  field  the  following  churches  were 
aided  in  the  support  of  a  pastor :  Woodville,  R.  I. ;  Cusse- 
wago.  Pa. ;  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio  ;  Berlin,  Wis. ;  New  Auburn, 
Minn.;  Wasioja  and  Ashland,  Minn.;  Trenton,  Minn.;  Carls- 
ton,  Minn. ;  Brookfield,  Mo. ;  Pardee,  Kan. ;  Elder  Stephen 
Burdick  labored  as  general  missionary  until  November  3d  in 
the  Western  Association,  and  was  directed  by  the  Board  to 
labor  in  the  Northwestern  Association,  with  headquarters  in 
Minnesota.  He  labored  at  Wasioja,  Ashland.  Carlston.  Tren- 
ton, Transit,  Wilton,  Minn. ;  at  W'elton  and  Carlton,  Iowa. 
Elder  James  Bailey  was  general  missionary  in  the  West,  head- 
quarters at  Milton,  Wis.  He  labored  at  Lima  Centre,  Bosco- 
bel.  Wis.,  in  the  small  churches  and  among  the  scattered  Sab- 
bath-keepers in  Iowa ;  Brookfield,  Mo. ;  Long  Branch,  Neb. ; 
Manhattan,  Pardee,  Fremont  and  Emporia,  Kansas.  In  view 
of  the  much  needed  missionary  work  on  the  home  field,  C.  Pot- 
ter, Jr.,  and  J.  F.  Hubbard,  of  the  firm  of  C.  Potter,  Jr.,  &  Co., 
made  the  proposition  to  the  Missionary  Board  to  sustain  a 
missionary  in  the  field  the  coming  year,  through  the  Board, 
both  field  and  laborer  to  be  subject  to  their  approval.  The 
proposition  was  accepted,  but  at  the  time  of  the  annual  report 
the  field  and  laborer  had  not  been  decided  upon. 

EIGHTH    DECADE,    187O-1880. 

The  anniversary  of  the  Missionary  Society  was  held  in 
1870  with  the  first  church  in  Genesee,  N.  Y.,  September  8th, 
1870.  Vice-President  A.  B.  Burdick  presided.  Recording 
Secretary  Charles  A.  Burdick;  Corresponding  Secretary 
George  E.  Tomlinson,  who  presented  the  annual  report. 


358  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

CHINA    MISSION. 

The  condition  of  this  mission  much  the  same  as  last  year ; 
the  work  done  upon  it  was  by  native  preachers  and  workers. 

HOME    FIELD. 

The  following  churches  were  helped  by  the  society  in  the 
support  of  pastors:  Woodville,  R.  I.,  H.  E.  Babcock,  pas- 
tor; Cussewago,  Pa.,  J.  R.  Irish,  pastor;  Jackson  Centre  and 
Stokes,  Ohio,  Hamilton  Hull,  pastor;  Transit,  Minn.,  Hiram 
W.  Babcock,  pastor;  Carlston,  Minn.,  D.  P.  Curtis,  pastor; 
Brookfield,  Mo.,  George  C.  Babcock,  pastor ;  Pardee,  Kansas, 
S.  R.  Wheeler,  pastor,  to  spend  one-third  of  the  year  as  gen- 
eral missionary,  in  Kansas,  Nebraska  and  Southwestern  Mis- 
souri. 

An  appropriation  was  made  to  the  recently  organized 
churches.  Villa  Ridge  and  Pleasant  Hill,  in  Southern  Illinois, 
in  supporting  Elder  Leman  Andrus  as  a  joint  pastor  for  six 
months. 

Rev.  James  Bailey  performed  general  missionary  work 
in  Wisconsin  and  Iowa  until  October  20th,  when  he  closed  his 
labors  on  account  of  poor  health.  Rev.  Charles  M.  Lewis  la- 
bored as  general  missionary  in  Northern  and  Central  Wiscon- 
sin and  in  Minnesota.  Elder  Anthony  Hakes  did  some  mis- 
sionary work,  giving  his  time  and  labor,  the  Board  defraying 
his  traveling  expenses,  in  Illinois. 

The  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette  was  employed  by  the  Board 
to  labor  six  months  as  missionary  in  West  Virginia,  under 
the  proposition  of  C.  Potter,  Jr.,  and  Company,  to  support  a 
missionary  on  some  needy  field.  He  labored  at  Quiet  Dell, 
Lost  Creek,  Salem,  Greenbriar,  Middle  Island,  Hughes'  River, 
Buckeye  Run,  West  Union,  and  Berea.  He  traveled  chiefly 
on  horseback  from  place  to  place.  His  labors  were  greatly 
blessed  in  conversions,  and  in  building  up  the  churches.  He 
commenced  his  labors  in  April  and  closed  them  in  October. 
Charles  A.  Burdick  received  the  call  to  succeed  him  at  that 
time,  which  he  accepted. 

The  twenty-ninth  anniversary  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  convened  at  Adams  Center,  N.  Y., 
September  7th,  1871.  George  Greenman  in  the  chair;  J.  B. 
Wells,  Recording  Secretary  pro  tem. ;  Rev.  George  E.  Tomlin- 
son.  Corresponding  Secretary. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  359 

CHINA  MISSION. 

In  the  annual  report,  the  Corresponding  Secretary  states: 
"Nothing  has  been  heard  by  the  Board,  during  the  year,  di- 
rectly or  indirectly,  from  the  little  flock  in  Shanghai,  though 
measures  have  been  taken  to  learn  definitely  their  present  con- 
dition and  future  prospects  and  needs.  Meanwhile,  we  would 
reaffirm  the  sentiments  embodied  in  our  report  of  last  year,  in 
regard  to  the  importance  of  an  early  reoccupation  of  that 
field." 

HOME   FIELD. 

A  number  of  feeble  churches  have  been  helped  during  the 
year  in  the  support  of  pastors,  and  others  asking  aid  have  re- 
ceived promises  of  help  as  soon  as  they  can  obtain  acceptable 
pastors. 

The  following  small  churches  were  aided  during  the  year 
in  the  support  of  pastors :  Rosenhayn,  N.  J.,  William  M. 
Jones,  pastor;  Ritchie,  W.  Va.,  James  B.  Davis,  pastor;  Cus- 
sewago.  Pa.,  H.  B.  Lewis,  pastor ;  Jackson  Centre  and  Stokes, 
O.,  Hamilton  Hull,  pastor ;  Pleasant  Hill  and  Villa  Ridge,  III, 
Leman  Andrus,  pastor;  Berlin,  Wis.,  M.  B.  True,  a  recent  con- 
vert to  the  Sabbath,  pastor;  Transit,  Alinn.,  H.  W.  Babcock, 
pastor;  Carlston,  ]\Iinn.,  D.  P.  Curtis,  pastor;  Brookfield,  Mo., 
George  C.  Babcock,  pastor;  Pardee,  Kan.,  S.  R.  Wheeler,  pas- 
tor, two-thirds  of  the  time,  one-third  of  his  time  as  general 
missionary. 

GENERAL    MISSIONARY    WORK. 

C.  M.  Lewis  re-entered  the  missionary  work  and  was  di- 
rected to  spend  the  time  between  the  time  of  beginning  his  labor 
and  the  meeting  of  the  Northw^estern  Association,  in  Southern 
Illinois.  He  spent  a  month  and  a  half  among  the  little  churches 
composed  mainly  of  converts  to  the  Sabbath,  visiting  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  Villa  Ridge,  Reynoldsburg,  Stone  Fort,  meeting  with 
Elders  M.  B.  Kelly,  Robert  Lewis,  W.  F.  Vancleve,  F.  F. 
Johnson,  ministers  converted  to  the  Sabbath.  After  attending 
the  Northwestern  Association  at  Farina,  III,  Brother  Lewis 
proceeded  to  the  Northwestern  field,  where  he  spent  the  rest 
of  the  year,  laboring  at  Berlin,  Dakota  and  Marquette,  Wis. ; 
Wasioja,  Carlston,  Alden,  Minn. 


%60  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 


WEST  VIRGINIA   MISSION. 


Brother  W.  B.  Gillette,  closing  his  labors  in  this  mission 
in  October  of  last  year,  visited,  on  his  way  to  his  home  in 
Shiloh,  N.  J.,  the  German  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  Bedford 
County,  Pa.,  by  the  invitation  of  Brother  David  C.  Long,  one 
of  their  ministers.  One  of  the  results  of  this  visit  was  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  committee  by  "the  Eastern  Association  to  cor- 
respond with  them,  and  effect,  if  practicable,  a  further  ac- 
quaintance and  co-operation."  Brother  Gillette  in  his  six 
months  of  labor  on  the  West  Virginia  field,  traveled  2,000  miles 
on  horseback,  visited  341  families,  preached  95  times,  helped 
organize  4  Sabbath  schools  and  2  churches,  baptized  (by  him- 
self and  those  with  him),  19,  and  ordained  one  minister. 
Brother  Gillette,  feeling  the  infirmities  of  age,  would  not  en- 
gage to  continue  his  labors  on  that  field,  and  he  was  immedi- 
ately succeeded  by  Brother  Charles  A.  Burdick,  in  October 
last.  He  visited  from  home  to  home  the  families,  held  extra 
meetings  in  the  churches,  and  gave  "attention  to  the  interests 
of  the  Sabbath,  of  general  education,  systematic  benevolence 
and  whatever  afforded  promise  of  present  or  future  benefit." 
He  labored  at  Long  Run,  Buckeye  Run,  Lost  Creek,  Salem 
and  other  places.  Brother  S.  R.  Wheeler  spent  the  time  he 
was  engaged  to  do  general  missionary  work  at  Dow  Creek, 
Kan.,  Brookfield  and  Carthage,  Mo. ;  Long  Branch,  Neb.  He 
in  his  report  of  labor  makes  an  earnest  appeal  for  Seventh-day 
Baptist  missionary  and  Sabbath  reform  labor  on  the  frontier 
in  the  great  West,  while  new  settlements  are  being  made  and 
society  is  in  a  formative  state. 

In  view  of  such,  needed  general  missionary  work  in  the 
West  and  Northwest,  calls  were  extended  to  several  brethren 
to  engage  in  such  work,  but  only  two  could  accept  the  call. 
C.  M.  Lewis  and  James  Summerbell,  who  would  proceed  West 
in  the  spring  as  soon  as  present  engagements  expired. 

In  1872  the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  at  Southampton,  111.,  Sep- 
tember 12,  1872,  Vice-President  A.  H.  Lewis  in  the  chair, 
L.  A.  Platts,  Recording  Secretary  pro  tem.,  George  E.  Tom- 
linson,  Corresponding  Secretary. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  361 

HOME    FIELD    WORK. 

During  the  whole  or  part  of  the  year,  the  following  per- 
sons were  under  the  employment  of  the  ^lissionary  Board  as 
missionary  pastors :  William  ]\I.  Jones,  Joshua  Clarke,  Her- 
bert E.  Babcock,  Joel  Green.  Hamilton  Hull,  L.  ]\I.  Cottrell. 
M.  B.  True,  Zuriel  Campbell,  Hiram  \V.  Babcock,  D.  P.  Cur- 
tis, George  C.  Babcock,  S.  R.  Wheeler ;  the  most  of  them  over 
the  same  churches  as  last  year.  Those  who  were  employed  in 
general  missionary  work  were :  Charles  A.  Burdick  in  West 
Virginia ;  Alexander  Campbell,  in  the  Central  Association ; 
Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  on  the  Clarence  and  Pendleton  fields, 
in  the  Western  Association  ;  S.  R.  Wheeler  and  C.  M.  Lewis 
in  the  Northwestern  Association,  the  former  in  INIissouri,  the 
latter  at  Villa  Ridge.  Pleasant  Hill,  Southampton  and  Farina, 
111.;  Berlin,  Dakota  and  Marquette,  Wis.;  Wasioja,  Alden, 
Carlston  and  Transit.  Minn. ;  Carlton,  Iowa ;  Long  Branch, 
Neb. 

CHINA   MISSION, 

No  missionary  sent  to  China.  Chan  Chung  Lau,  pastor 
of  the  Shanghai  church ;  Elders,  Kiang  Ouang  and  Erlow. 
The  pastor  was  engaged  to  care  for  the  church  another  year. 
Erlow  was  engaged  as  Bible  reader  at  Shanghai ;  and  Kiang 
Quang  at  Lieu-oo,  they  to  receive  each  $ioo  per  year  for  their 
services. 

FINANCIAL. 

The  receipts  for  the  year  for  missions  are  much  less  than 
ordinary.  In  1873,  the  thirty-first  anniversary  of  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  Missionary  convened  at  Westerly,  R.  I.,  Septem- 
ber nth.  President  George  Greeman  presided;  Thomas  V. 
Stillman.  Recording  Secretary ;  George  E.  Tomlinson,  Cor- 
responding Secretary. 

HOME  FIELD. 

The  following  church  were  aided  by  appropriations  in 
the  support  of  pastors :  West  Fork,  W.  \'a.,  S.  D.  Davis ; 
Otselic,  N.  Y..  Joshua  Clarke ;  Cussewago,  Pa.,  Joel  Greene ; 
Jackson  Centre,  O..  Hamilton  Hull ;  Villa  Ridge  and  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  111..  L.  M.  Cottrell;  Raleigh  and  Harrisburg.  111.,  C. 
W.  Threlkeld;  Berlin,  Wis.,  H.  B.  Lewis;  Wasioja  and  Ash- 
land. Minn..  Zuriel  Campbell;  Transit.  Minn.,  H.  W.  Babcock; 


362  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Carlston,  Minn.,  D.  P.  Curtis;  Pardee,  Kan.,  S.  R.  Wheeler; 
North  Loup,  Neb.,  Oscar  Babcock. 

GENERAL   MISSIONARY    WORK. 

Charles  A.  Burdick  in  West  Virginia.  Besides  his  usual 
missionary  work,  he  held  Sabbath  school  institutes,  also  nor- 
mal class  meetings  for  Sabbath  school  teachers  and  others,  and 
also  taught  singing  classes  in  meeting  the  needs  of  the  churches 
in  singing  for  their  public  worship.  Alexander  Campbell  and 
Theodore  L.  Gardiner  labored  in  the  Central  Association  in 
Preston,  Otselic,  Second  Verona,  Lincklaen  and  Cuyler  Hill. 

In  the  Northwestern  Association  Charles  M.  Lewis  la- 
bored in  Illinois,  Minnesota,  Wisconsin  and  Iowa. 

CHINA    MISSION. 

Brother  and  Sister  Carpenter  returned  to  Shanghai.  They 
left  Chicago  for  Shanghai  by  way  of  San  Francisco,  March 
4th,  and  arrived  at  Shanghai  about  the  first  of  May.  Brother 
Carpenter  writes  May  nth:  "And  such  a  reception  by  the 
native  members,  and  indeed  by  all  our  old  friends  that  we  have 
met,  has  been  refreshing  to  us.  Chan  Chang  Lau  was  on  the 
wharf  for  us  when  we  dropped  anchor.  *  *  *  Yesterday, 
Sabbath,  we  held  our  first  service  in  the  chapel.  I  think  there 
were  more  than  a  hundred,  old  and  young,  present,  many  of 
them  drawn,  very  likely,  by  the  novelty  of  our  presence.  But 
they  were  orderly  and  attentive."  Under  date  of  June  4th, 
Brother  Carpenter  writes :  "We  have  been  here  a  little  more 
than  a  month,  and  have  seen  all  the  members  of  the  church 
whom  we  left  nine  years  ago,  except  two,  who  have  passed 
away,  and  one,  whom  we  expect  to  see  in  a  few  days.  There 
are  now,  including  ourselves,  twenty  living  members."  July 
nth  Brother  Carpenter  writes:  "By  taking  good  care  of  our- 
selves, we  are  enjoying  good  health,  not  by  any  means  robust, 
but  comfortable.  *  ■"  *  Kiang  Quang,  the  Bible  reader, 
who  entered  upon  his  duties  about  a  month  ago,  has  just  fin- 
ished his  work  on  earth  and  gone,  we  trust,  to  his  reward 
above." 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  closes  his  report  on  the 
China  report  as  follows :  "This  mission  should  certainly  have 
a  warm  place  in  our  affection,  and  a  prominent  place  in  our 
prayers.     On  the  whole,  it  is  with  thankfulness  and  satisfac- 


Rl'.V.  DAVID   II.   I)A\'IS,   I).   I). 
Sec    Bi(n^ratln,iil    Skclrlns.    p.    1361. 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETY.  363 

tion,  that  we  bring  to  you  our  report  relating  to  our  mission 
in  China." 

1874. 

The  thirty-second  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  in  DeRuyter,  N.  Y.,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1874. 

Society  called  to  order  by  A.  H.  Lewis,  Second  Vice- 
President.  A.  E.  Main,  Recording  Secretary  pro  tem.  George 
E.   Tomlinson,   Corresponding   Secretary. 

Among  the  resolutions  adopted  at  this  session  are  the  fol- 
lowing: Resolved,  That  the  reinforcement  of  the  China  Mis- 
sion is  more  than  ever  demanded,  in  view  of  the  growing  in- 
terest of  that  field,  and  the  imperfect  health  of  our  aged  mis- 
sionaries. 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  the  Board  that  they  put 
forth  vigorous  efiforts  to  enlarge  the  missionary  work,  as  far 
as  practicable,  beyond  the  present  limit  of  the  denomination. 

An  obituary  of  Edwin  G.  Champlin,  of  Westerly,  R.  I., 
who  died  September  loth,  1874,  is  given  in  the  annual  report. 
He  served  the  society  as  Corresponding  Secretary  from  Sep- 
tember 8th,  1859,  to  September,  1868 — nine  years. 

HOME  FIELD. 

Appropriations  were  made  by  the  Board  to  the  same  feeble 
churches  as  last  year.  The  missionary  pastors  over  these 
churches  were :  S.  D.  Davis,  Joel  Greene,  L.  M.  Cottrell,  T. 
L.  Gardiner,  part  of  the  year ;  T.  R.  Williams  at  Andover, 
while  teaching  in  Alfred  University ;  C.  W.  Threlkeld,  H.  B. 
Lewis,  C.  P.  Rood,  Z.  Campbell,  V.  Hull,  S.  R.  Wheeler,  Os- 
car Babcock. 

The  mission  in  the  Southeastern  Association  was  sus- 
tained during  the  year  under  the  labors  of  Charles  A.  Bur- 
dick.  The  mission  resulted  in  the  organization  of  three 
churches,  a  large  development  of  Sabbath  school  work,  and  the 
organization  of  the  Southeastern  Association.  One  of  the 
great  needs  of  this  field,  so  reports  the  general  missionary,  bet- 
ter educational  facilities  for  our  young  people. 

In  the  Central  Association  W.  B.  Gillette  labored  as  gen- 
eral missionary  from  April  to  the  middle  of  October,  laboring 
at  Cuyler,  Preston,  Otselic,  Lincklaen  and  other  places.  "The 
ordinances  of  the  home  of  God  were  restored,  Sabbath  schools 


364  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

re-established,  a  new  interest  created,  with  some  cases  of  in- 
gathering." In  the  Western  Association,  D.  H.  Davis  and 
Horace  StiHman,  students  at  Alfred,  did,  under  the  direction 
of  the  Board,  some  missionary  work  at  Hebron  Centre  and 
Oswayo,  Pa. 

In  the  Northwestern  Association,  but  little  general  mis- 
sionary work  was  done,  as  Brother  C.  M.  Lewis  had  to  leave 
the  work  for  a  time  to  seek  rest  and  recuperation. 

In  October  last,  C.  Potter,  Jr.,  and  Co.  proposed  to  put  in 
the  field  "an  evangelist  who  should  labor  chiefly  outside  of  our 
churches  in  work  of  an  evangelical  character  to  be  followed 
by  the  presentation  of  Sabbath  truth  as  opportunity  might  of- 
fer, the  laborer  to  report  to  the  Board  the  results  of  his  work, 
and  to  the  brethren  who  sent  him  for  ^orders  and  expenses — 
their  contributions  to  his  support  to  be  accredited  as  so  much 
missionary  contributions."  C.  M.  Lewis  began  an  engage- 
ment for  a  year,  under  these  terms,  with  the  ist  of  January, 
1874.  He  held  a  series  of  meetings  at  Verona,  N.  Y. ;  Alfred 
Center,  N.  Y. ;  Scott,  N.  Y.,  and  other  places,  resulting  in  large 
conversions,  and  many  additions  to  the  churches. 

CHINA   MISSION. 

Brother  Carpenter  reports  that  Chung  Lau  preaches  every 
alternate  Sabbath,  twenty  to  thirty  minutes  in  length,  a  good 
discourse.  Erlow  continues  to  read  and  explain  the  Book  to 
individuals  and  families  at  their  homes,  and  to  strangers  and 
acquaintances  at  tea  shops,  stores  and  market  places  and  in  the 
street.  June  loth,  1874,  he  reported  that  they  had  completed 
a  new  chapel  at  a  cost  of  about  $400  United  States  currency. 
It  was  dedicated  May  24th,  the  day  previous  (Sabbath)  being 
rainy.  On  June  2nd  Mrs.  Carpenter  was  taken  ill  with  symp- 
toms of  cholera,  was  very  sick  for  twenty-four  hours,  when 
the  disease  was  effectively  controlled.  On  July  6th  he  writes 
of  the  returning  health  of  his  wife  and  that  his  own  health  is 
good,  is  able  to  attend  chapel  and  do  part  of  the  speaking  four 
days  each  week. 

Financially,  the  contributions  from  the  churches  and  the 
people  are  slight,  and  the  Board  is  still  drawing  from  the  special 
fund.  Another  thousand  dollars  have  been  used  to  meet  the 
current  expenses  of  the  year. 


MRS.   SARA  GARDINER   DAVIS. 
See    Bioi^rn/^hira!    Skefrltrs.    p.   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  365 

1875. 

Thirty-third  annual  session  of  the  society  held  at  Alfred 
Centre,  N.  Y.,  September  23rd,  1875.  President  George 
Greenman  in  the  chair.  A.  E.  Main,  Recording  Secretary 
pro  tern.  T.  V.  Stillman,  the  Recording  Secretary,  not  in  at- 
tendance.    Corresponding  Secretary,  George  E.  Tomlinson. 

THE  CHINA   MISSION. 

]\Irs.  Carpenter  yields  to  a  fatal  disease,  dies  peacefully 
and  triumphantly  at  noon-day  September  21st,  1874,  in  the 
64th  year  of  her  age.  Her  body  was  buried  in  the  new  ceme- 
tery in  Shanghai.  A  monument  of  white  marble  (Chinese) 
set  in  a  granite  pedestal,  was  put  at  the  head  of  her  grave,  on 
which  was  engraved:  "In  memory  of  Mrs.  L.  M.  Carpenter, 
who  died  September  21,  1874,  aged  63.  'Blessed  are  the  pure 
in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God.'  "  The  same,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  age,  was  engraved  in  Chinese  on  the  lower  part  of 
the  slab,  the  Tines  running  perpendicularly. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted  at  the  annual  ses- 
sion, September  2;^,  1875: 

Resolved,  That  as  a  society  we  hereby  express  our  appre- 
ciation of  the  character  and  labors  of  our  deceased  missionary, 
Mrs.  Lucy  ]\I.  Carpenter,  our  sympathy  with  Brother  Carpen- 
ter in  his  bereavement,  and  our  devotion  to  the  mission  to 
which  she  gave  her  life. 

Brother  Carpenter  reports  himself  in  a  comfortable  state 
of  health,  and  able  to  devote  himself  to  the  service  of  the  Mas- 
ter, reports  also  the  purpose  of  opening  an  out-station  at  Lieu- 
00  for  mission  work,  and  that  he  has  put  some  improvement 
on  the  house  in  which  he  lives.  The  Board  expresses  a  rea- 
sonable hope  of  reinforcing  the  mission  at  no  distant  day. 

HOME  MLSSIONS. 

There  is  a  change  made  in  the  method  of  missionary  work 
on  the  home  field.  It  is  divided  "into  districts  large  enough 
to  occupy  the  full  time  of  a  missionary,  but  not  so  large  but 
that  he  could  pretty  thoroughly  work  up  our  interests  in  the 
territory  committed  to  his  charge ;  to  place  a  competent  mis- 
sionary in  each  district,  so  fast  as  the  way  should  become  clear, 
and  the  means  in  the  possession  of  the  Board  should  warrant, 
and  suitable  laborers  could  be  obtained ;  to  cease  for  the  most 


366  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

part  appropriations  to  individual  churches,  leaving  them  to 
make  whatever  arrangements  they  could  in  regard  to  the  set- 
tlement and  support  of  pastors,  while  receiving  their  share  of 
the  labors  of  the  general  missionary  in  the  district  to  which 
they  belonged,  but  to  make  such  occasional  appropriations  for 
individual  churches  as  might  be  rendered  necessary  by  special 
isolation  of  churches,  or  by  demands  of  some  special  emer- 
gency in  their  condition." 

In  the  Eastern  Association  Horace  Stillman  was  employ- 
ed to  do  missionary  work  with  headquarters  at  Woodville,  R.  I. 
He  reports  twelve  members  added  to  the  Woodville  church. 
In  the  Southeastern  Association,  Charles  A.  Burdick  closed 
his  labors  and  was  teaching  with  the  purpose  of  establishing 
a  school  of  a  higher  grade  among  our  people  in  West  Virginia. 
Evangelist  C.  M.  Lewis  spent  a  little  more  than  three  months 
in  evangelistic  work  in  this  association.  There  were  large  con- 
versions, many  added  to  the  churches. 

In  the  Central  Association  W.  B.  Gillette  closed  his  labors 
as  general  missionary  and  had  accepted  a  pastorate.  O.  D. 
Sherman  spent  some  time  in  visiting  and  laboring  among  the 
small  churches.  The  Board  extended  a  call  to  J.  L.  Huffman 
to  become  the  general  missionary  in  the  Central  Association, 
which  he  accepted  and  began  his  work  in  the  Second  Verona 
church ;  held  meetings  every  night  for  nearly  seven  weeks, 
about  seventy  converted,  baptism  administered  six  Sabbaths  in 
succession,  thirty-three  baptized  before  he  left,  and  others 
ready  who  were  afterwards  baptized.  He  labored  also  at 
Lincklaen,  Otselic  and  Cuyler. 

In  the  Western  Association  no  general  Missionary  was 
employed  by  the  Board,  as  the  ground  was  occupied  by  the 
Executive  Missionary  Board  of  the  Association. 

In  the  Northwestern  Association  no  general  missionary 
work  was  done  by  the  Board  for  reasons  similar  to  those  in 
the  Western  Association.  At  the  session  of  the  Northwestern 
Association,  at  Christiana,  Wis.,  it  was  voted  to  no  longer  con- 
tinue the  Associational  Missionary  Board,  and  to  give  over  its 
missionary  work  to  the  general  Missionary  Society  of  the  de- 
nomination. The  general  Board  accepted  the  responsibility, 
and  employed  Henry  B.  Lewis  to  labor  in    Wisconsin,  L.  C. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  367 

Rogers,  in  Minnesota,  and  S.  R.  Wheeler,  in  Kansas,  Missouri 
and  Nebraska.  There  were  other  districts,  such  as  Southern 
IIHnois,  which  were  as  yet  unprovided  for. 

The  following-  feeble  churches,  because  of  special  needs 
and  isolated  condition,  received  special  appropriations,  or  for- 
mer appropriations  were  continued :  Ritchie,  W.  Va.,  Jacob 
Davis,  pastor;  Oswayo  and  Hebron  Centre,  Pa.,  L.  M,  Cott- 
rell,  pastor;  Raleigh  and  Harrisburg,  111.,  C.  W.  Threlkeld, 
pastor;  Berlin,  Wis.,  W.  B.  Lewis,  pastor;  North  Loup,  Neb., 
Oscar  Babcock,  pastor.  The  reasons  given  for  withdrawing 
direct  appropriations  from  the  churches,  except  in  cases  of 
special  need  and  isolated  condition,  were  that  "better  service 
could  be  rendered  by  one  efficient  missionary  in  a  district,  de- 
voting his  whole  time  to  the  work,  in  addition  to  what  the  local 
churches  and  their  pastors  might  do,  than  by  simply  furnish- 
ing to  the  several  churches  in  the  district  small  sums  to  aid 
in  the  support  of  pastors  whose  time  was  largely  occupied  in 
other  directions."  There  were  two  prominent  difficulties  in 
the  way  of  the  growth  and  permanency  of  the  churches  helped 
by  appropriations.  First.  Some  churches  are  organized  that 
are  uncalled  for  by  location  or  circumstances ;  the  second,  the 
readiness  of  the  people  to  migrate  as  soon  as  they  are  once  com- 
fortably fixed  with  hopeful  prospects,  both  as  regards  family 
and  church  often  stops  all  improvement,  and  decimates  and 
breaks  down  our  oldest  and  largest  churches.  "Combination, 
concentration,  and  the  ability  to  hold  on,  must  take  the  place 
of  a  roving,  migrating  habit  if  west  of  Wisconsin  we  are  to 
have  any  strength  in  the  future  as  a  people." 

1876. 
The  thirty-fourth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  convened  with  the  church  at  Walworth. 
Wis.,  September  28th,  1876.  Vice-President  J.  B.  Clarke  in 
the  chair.  L.  A.  Platts,  Recording  Secretary  pro  tem.  A.  E. 
Main,  Acting  Corresponding  Secretary. 

IN-    MEMORIAM, 

Rev.  George  E.  Tomlinson,  who  had  served  the  society 
for  nearly  seven  years  as  Corresponding  Secretary,  died  May 
nth,  1876.  Charles  Saunders,  who  was  a  missionary  in  Pal- 
estine for  seven  years,  died  April  8th,  1876. 


368  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

THE  CHINA   MISSION. 

Brother  Solomon  Carpenter  married  for  his  second  wife 
Miss  Black,  of  London,  England.  A  letter  from  his 
wife  dated  June  12th,  1876,  informed  the  Missionary  Board  of 
his  severe  illness.  Partly  recovering  it  was  found  necessary 
for  them  to  return  to  the  home  land  for  his  full  recovery  and 
health.  They  left  Shanghai  June  28th,  1876,  and  arrived  at 
Stephentown,  N.  Y.,  about  the  middle  of  August. 

Again  the  little  church  and  band  of  Sabbath-keepers  in 
Shanghai  are  left  without  a  leader.  The  need  is  pressing  for 
a  missionary  to  go  to  China. 

GENERAL   MISSIONARY    WORK. 

Brother  Horace  Stillman  labored  as  general  missionary  in 
the  Eastern  Association,  at  Woodville,  Ashville,  Carolina  iVIills 
and  Niantic,  R.  I. 

Elder  C.  M.  Lewis  was  the  general  missionary  and  evan- 
gelist in  the  Southeastern  Association,  laboring  with  his  usual 
zeal  and  success. 

Brother  J.  L.  Huffman  was  general  missionary  on  the  Cen- 
tral Association  field ;  labored  mainly  at  Cuyler,  Lincklaen,  Ot- 
selic,  Preston.  He  gives  the  following  summary  of  his  year's 
work:  "Have  preached  over  six  sermons  a  week  for  the  en- 
tire fifty-two  weeks.  Have  baptized  forty-four  persons,  and 
I  trust  a  goodly  number  have  been  converted  whom  others 
baptized.  Though  the  labor  has  been  hard,  I  think  it  has  been 
the  pleasantest  year  of  my  life."  Brother  S.  R.  Wheeler  was 
the  general  missionary  for  the  Kansas,  Missouri  and  Nebraska 
field;  Brother  J.  E.  N.  Backus  on  the  Minnesota  field. 

FEEBLE    CHURCHES. 

The  Missionary  Board  did  no  more  for  these  churches 
than  to  continue  the  appropriation  to  the  North  Loup,  Neb., 
church,  to  the  end  of  September,  1875. 

1877. 
The  thirty-fifth   anniversary  of  the   Seventh-day   Baptist 
Missionary  Society  was  held  with  the  church  at  New  Salem, 
W.  Va.,  September  20,  1877.     President  George  Greenman  ab- 
sent.    Vice-President  D.  E.  Maxson  presided.     L.  A.  Platts, 
(23) 


A  GROUP  OF  MISSIONARIES  TO  CHINA. 
Mrs.    Lizzie    Nelson    Fryer.  Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick. 

Mrs.  Hannah   (Larkin)   Crofont.  Rev.  Jay  W.  Crofoot. 

See        Biogratyfiical    Sketches,  p.   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  369 

Recording  Secretary.     Ainnual  report  was  read  by  A.  E.  Alain, 
the  Corresponding  Secretary. 

CHINA   MISSION. 

"At  the  meeting  of  the  Missionary  Board  on  the  30th  of 
January,  1877,  a  resolution  was  passed  inviting  Brother  Mor- 
ton S.  Wardner  to  enter  the  service  of  the  society  as  a  mis- 
sionary in  China.  Brother  Wardner  was  then  in  Scotland, 
where  the  invitation  was  sent  to  him.  His  reply,  dated  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  February  28th,  was  read  to  the  Board,  at  its 
meeting,  on  the  19th  of  April,  in  which  he  accepted  the  invi- 
tation, and  expressed  his  readiness  to  'enter  heartily  into  any 
satisfactory  arrangement  the  Board  may  make.'  At  that 
meeting  of  the  Board  the  making  of  a  'satisfactory  arrange- 
ment' with  Brother  Wardner  was  referred  to  the  Prudential 
Committee,  who,  by  letter,  asked  Brother  Wardner  to  inform 
them  what  arrangement  would  be  satisfactory  to  him.  His  re- 
ply, dated  Glasgow,  May  ist,  1877,  and  read  at  the  Board 
meeting  August  15th,  1877,  stated  that  he  had  decided  to  return 
to  America  after  a  few  weeks  and  asked  time  to  consult  with 
missionary  friends  in  England  and  Scotland,  and  with  Brother 
Solomon  Carpenter,,  before  reporting  upon  the  probable  ex- 
pense of  outfit,  traveling  expenses,  and  the  amount  of  salary. 
At  the  same  meeting  another  letter  was  received  from  him, 
dated  Richburg,  N.  Y.,  August  12th,  giving  detailed  state- 
ments of  estimated  cost  of  outfit  and  travel,  requisite  salary, 
and  other  specifications  relative  to  a  written  contract  which  he 
should  desire  to  have  made  between  the  Board  and  himself  as 
its  missionary,  and  suggesting  the  first  of  October  as  the  time 
when  it  would  be  advisable  to  sail  from  San  Francisco."  On 
account  of  expected  illness  in  his  family  and  the  lack  of  time 
to  arrange  the  details  of  the  contract  which  Brother  AI.  S. 
Wardner  desired,  it  was  voted  at  the  same  meeting  "that  in 
answer  to  Brother  M.  S.  Wardner,  the  Board  express  their 
judgment  that,  in  view  of  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
it  is  unwise  at  present  to  make  arrangements  for  his  going  to 
China,  and  that  meanwhile  the  Prudential  Committee  be  au- 
thorized to  make  arrangements  with  him  to  perform  mission- 
ary labor  among  the  destitute  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
\A^estern  Association." 

Eriow  served  the  Shanghai  church  as  pastor. 


370  SEVENTH-Dx\Y    BAPTISTS  : 

HOME  FIELD. 

Elder  L.  F,  Randolph  labored  on  the  West  Virginia  field 
four  months  during  the  year  as  general  missionary,  laboring 
at  Greenbriar,  Buckeye  Run,  West  Fork  River,  Flint  Run. 
Robinson's  Fork,  Middle  Island  and  other  places. 

Elder  Horace  Stillman  continued  his  labors  as  general 
missionary  in  the  Eastern  Association  field. 

No  general  missionary  work  performed  during  the  year 
in  the  Central  Association.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Western  Association  this  year,  1877,  it  voted  to  pass  over  its 
missionary  interests  into  the  hands  of  the  General  Missionary 
Society.  By  this  action,  all  the  associational  Boards  and  mis- 
.sjonary  interest  under  associational  supervision  are  now  merg- 
ed into  the  General  Missionary  Society. 

In  the  Northwestern  Association,  H.  B.  Lewis  labored  this 
year  as  general  missionary  in  Iowa,  S.  R.  Wheeler  in  Kansas, 
Missouri,  and  Nebraska. 

FINANCE. 

Received  during  the  year  in  contributions  from  the 
churches  for  missions,  $1,059.93,  ^^^^  from  bequests  and  other 
sources,  $975;  expended  for  missionary  work,  $1,251.05. 

1878. 

The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society  convened  for 
its  thirty-sixth  annual  session  with  the  church  at  Plainfield,  N. 
J.,  September  26th,  1878. 

President  Greenman,  after  some  remarks,  called  Vice- 
President  J.  R.  Irish  to  the  chair.  L.  A.  Platts  Recording 
Secretary.     A.  E.  Main  Corresponding  Secretary. 

ON    TRANSFERANCE. 

A  resolution  presented  at  the  last  session,  looking  toward 
a  transferance  of  the  work  of  this  society  to  the  General  Con- 
ference, was  called  up,  and  a  motion  made  to  hear  the  report  of 
members  of  a  committee  which  was  appointed  to  present  the 
matter  at  this  meeting,  but  the  names  of  which  were  omitted 
from  the  records.  After  considerable  rliscussion  the  motion 
prevailed  and  the  report  was  read  by  C.  D.  Potter.  On  motion 
the  report  was  laid  on- the  table. 

THE  CHINA   MISSION. 

Le  Erlow  writes  of  the  depredation  of  thieves,  of  locusts 
and  grasshoppers  destroying  the  cotton  crops  and  famine  upon 


RF.V.    TOTTN  LIVINGSTON   III'I'I'MAN. 
See     Biugraj^liical   Sketches,   p.   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  37I 

the  land,  and  the  distress  of  some  of  the  brethren  and  sisters. 
The  Board  made  some  appropriations  to  reheve  those  in  dis- 
tress and  need. 

There  is  no  material  change  in  the  little  church  at  Shang- 
hai, except  the  death  of  one  member.  No  missionary  is  se- 
cured to  go  to  China. 

SOUTHEASTERN    ASSOCIATION. 

Appropriation  made  to  the  Ritchie  church,  W.  Va.,  for  the 
year.  Brother  Jacob  Davis,  pastor,  and  also  to  the  West  Fork 
church. 

EASTERN   ASSOCIATION. 

Brother  Horace  Stillman  has  continued  his  labors  on  this 
field  during  the  year.     Headquarters  at  Woodville,  R.  I. 

CENTRAL  ASSOCIATION. 

The  First  A^erona  and  Second  Verona  churches,  N.  Y., 
unite  in  the  support  of  one  man  as  pastor,  the  Board  voting  to 
aid  the  Second  Verona  church. 

WESTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

Brother  J.  Summerbell,  pastor  of  the  Richburg  church, 
N.  Y.,  aided  by  the  Board,  looked  after  the  Honeoye  and  Bell's 
Run  churches  during  the  year.  Brother  Charles  A.  Burdick 
did  some  missionary  work  on  the  Clarence  field,  N.  Y.,  which 
includes  Alden  and  the  Rapids.  An  appropriation  was  made 
to  the  Hornellsville  church  for  one  year  and  help  promised 
Scio,  Scio  Branch  and  Stannards  Corner  churches  when  the 
Board  shall  have  been  notified  that  they  have  engaged  pas- 
tors. 

NORTHWESTERN   ASSOCIATION. 

General  missionary  work  was  performed  three  months 
by  S.  R.  Wheeler  at  North  Loup,  Davis  Creek,  ]\Iira  Creek 
A'alley,  Orleans,  Republican  City,  Neb.;  Brookfield,  Mo.,  and 
by  H.  E.  Babcock  several  months  in  the  Republican  Valley, 
Nebraska. 

Brother  Hamilton  Hull  labored  for  three  months  in  Cen- 
tral Wisconsin. 

Brother  C.  M.  Lewis  labored  as  a  missionary  in  Iowa, 
principally  with  the  Welton  and  Carlston  churches. 


'^'J2  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

FINANCES. 

Received  from  contributions  during  the  year,  $1,713.84; 
bequests,  $818.87;  expended  in  the  support  of  missionary 
work,  $1,393.83. 

1879. 

The  thirty-seventh  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  was  held  at  Brookfield,  N.  Y., 
September  25th,  1879.  President  George  Greenman  in  the 
chair.  T.  L.  Gardiner  Recording  Secretary.  A.  E.  Main  Cor- 
responding  Secretary. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Rev.  Thomas  B.  Brov^^n  died  May  i6th,  1879.  "He  was 
chosen  President  of  this  society  at  its  organization  in  1843, 
continued  to  fill  that  office  until  1847,  when  he  became  its  Cor- 
responding Secretary,  which  office  he  filled  until  1854.  His 
name  has  appeared  regularly  in  the  list  of  officers  of  the  so- 
ciety from  the  date  of  its  organization  until  the  present  time.'^ 

THE    CHINA    MISSION. 

Brother  Wardner  C.  Titsworth,  of  Farina,  Bl.,  in  a  reply 
to  a  renewed  call  of  the  Board  to  go  as  a  missionary  to  China, 
declined  the  call,  saying:  "I  am  compelled  to  decline  the  call 
of  the  Board,  extended  to  me  through  you,  to  become  their 
missionary  to  China.  I  do  this  because  I  am  convinced  that 
my  duty  makes  it  necessary." 

At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Board,  held  July  9th,  1879, 
the  Board  renewed  the  call  to  Brother  M.  S.  Wardner  to  enter 
the  China  Mission.  After  considerable  correspondence,  in 
which  it  appeared  that  he  would  probably  go,  but  on  account 
of  his  family  he  ultimately  declined  the  call. 

The  condition  of  the  China  Mission  is  substantially  the 
same  as  it  was  a  year  ago. 

THE  EASTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

Brother  Horace  Stillman  is  still  continuing  his  labors  as 
general  missionary  on  this  field. 

THE    CENTRAL    ASSOCIATION. 

Brother  O.  D.  Sherman  is  engaged  as  general  missionary 
on  the  field  for  the  ensuing  year. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  373 


THE  WESTERN  ASSOCIATION. 


Brother  Charles  A.  Burdick  is  laboring  at  Rapids,  N.  Y., 
and  vicinity. 

Brother  James  Summerbell  at  Honeoye,  and  Brother  Wil- 
liam H.  Ernst  at  Bell's  Run. 

It  was  the  judgment  of  the  Board  that  the  feeble  churches 
in  Western  New  York  and  Northern  Pennsylvania  should  be 
divided,  as  soon  as  it  can  be  found  practicable,  into  two  or 
three  circuits,  over  which  should  be  placed  for  regular  and 
permanent  work  faithful  and  efficient  missionary  pastors. 

IOWA. 

Brother  H.  B.  Lewis  performed  missionary  labor  in  this 
State  until  he  moved  to  Illinois. 

SOUTHERN   ILLINOIS. 

Brother  Wardner  C.  Titsworth  made  a  missionary  trip 
to  the  small  churches  on  this  field.  He  reports  a  great  need 
of  a  good  missionary  on  this  field  for  permanent  work.  The 
whole  field  has  been  injured  by  neglect.  The  Board  would  put 
such  a  missionary  on  the  field  if  he  can  be  found. 

KANSAS,    MISSOURI,    NEBRASKA. 

Brother  S.  R.  Wheeler  still  continues  his  faithful  and  ef- 
ficient labors  on  this  field. 

Brother  H.  E.  Babcock  performed  a  few  months  of  mis- 
sionary labor  in  the  Republican  Valley,  Neb.,  outside  of  the 
little  church  at  Orleans,  which  he  serves  as  missionary  pastor. 
Brother  C.  M.  Lewis  spent  several  weeks  in  evangelistic  work 
in  the  North  Loup  Valley,  Neb.,  right  after  the  meeting  of  the 
Northwestern  Association. 

MINNESOTA. 

No  success  in  securing  a  missionary  for  this  field  during 
the  year. 

WISCONSIN. 

The  Board  appropriated  some  money  to  the  Cartwright 
church,  established  by  Brother  James  Bailey,  to  aid  them  in 
building  a  house  of  worship. 


574  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

THE  SOUTHEASTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

All  the  Board  has  done  for  this  field  was  to  make  an  ap- 
propriation to  the  West  Fork  (W,  Va.)  church  toward  the 
support  of  preaching  by  Brother  L.  F.  Randolph. 

MISSION  OF  TREAS.  GEORGE  B.  UTTER  AND  SECRETARY  A.  E.   MAIN. 

At  our  last  annual  session  held  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  various  fields  on  which  the  Board  is  bestow- 
ing missionary  labor,  and  on  which  such  labor  is  desired,  it 
would  be  well  to  send  out  one  or  two  of  its  members  during 
the  coming  years,  who  shall  visit,  as  far  as  practicable,  all  such 
fields,  taking  full  account  of  the  condition  and  ability  of  the 
churches,  when  such  exist,  and  of  the  communities  where  there 
are  no  churches,  noting  carefully  what  churches  and  societies 
might  be  grouped  together  as  a  field  for  one  missionary,  mak- 
ing careful  inquiry  for  the.  most  available  and  suitable  men 
for  the  different  fields,  and,  by  their  own  personal  labors, 
arousing  the  missionary  spirit  among  the  people,  and  report 
the  result  to  the  Board  for  their  consideration  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  their  work. 

In  accordance  with  this  resolution,  the  above  named 
brethren  and  officers  of  the  Board  visited  various  parts  of  the 
home  field  and  gave  a  report  of  the  same  to  the  Board.  They 
visited  the  following  churches,  and,  in  most  instances,  preach- 
ed to  the  people:  First  Alfred,  Second  Alfred,  Hornellsville, 
Nile,  Richburg,  Little  Genesee  and  Main  Settlement,  N.  Y. ; 
Honeoye,  Bell's  Run,  Hebron  and  Hebron  Center,  Pa. ;  Jack- 
son Center,  Ohio ;  Milton,  Milton  Junction  and  Albion,  Wis. ; 
Welton,  Iowa ;  Pardee,  Kan. ;  Farina,  111.,  and  New  Salem, 
W.  Va.,  and  obtained,  besides  reliable  information  regarding 
some  twenty  other  churches  and  communities  in  New  York, 
Pennsylvania,  Wisconsin,  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Missouri  and 
West  Virginia.  Their  visit  and  investigations  were  of  great 
value  to  the  Board  and  the  mission  work. 

FINANCES. 

Received    during  the    year,    $2,529.77.     Expended,    $1,- 
503-58. 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETY.  375 

NINTH  DECADE,   1880-189O. 

Hon.  Joseph  Potter,  of  Potter  Hill,  R.  I.,  died  March  4th, 
1880,  aged  92  years  and  7  months.  He  was  President  of  the 
Missionary  Society  in  1859, 

General  William  Potter,  brother  of  Joseph,  died  at  Potter 
Hill,  R.  I.,  May  12th,  1880,  aged  80  years  and  4  days. 

The  reinforcement  of  the  China  mission  by  the  Rev.  D.  H. 
Davis,  pastor  of  the  Shiloh  (N.  J.)  church  and  wife  and  Miss 
A.  Eliza  Nelson,  formerly  a  teacher  at  Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y., 
Vv'ho  accepted  the  call  of  the  Board  to  go  as  mission- 
aries to  Shanghai,  China.  A  farewell  meeting  was  held  at 
Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y.,  December  loth,  1879,  with  appropriate 
and  impressive  exercises.  They  sailed  from  San  Francisco  in 
the  steamer  City  of  Tokio,  December  27th,  arrived  at  Yoko- 
homa  January  i8th,  1880,  wdience  they  sailed  January 
2 1st  for  Shanghai,  arriving  there  January  29th,  where  they 
were  met  and  welcomed  by  three  or  four  other  missionaries 
and  two  of  our  native  brethren.  The  missionaries  settled  in 
their  homes,  began  the  study  of  the  language,  and  engaged 
in  the  work  through  interpreters.  In  1880  the  society  obtained  a 
charter  from  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Rhode  Island 
and  organized  under  its  provisions,  thus  becoming  an  incor- 
porate body  under  the  laws  of  said  State.  This  year  some 
new  departures  were  inaugurated.  A  Missionary  Department 
was  begun  in  The  Sabbath  Recorder  under  the  editorial  direc- 
tion of  the  Corresponding  Secretary.  Heretofore,  the  Corres- 
ponding Secretary,  being  a  pastor,  simply  conducted  the  cor- 
respondence of  the  society  and  prepared  the  annual  report  and 
attended  the  association  in  the  interests  of  the  society.  Also 
the  anniversary  of  the  society.  The  duties  of  the  Correspond- 
ing Secretary  had  been  performed  without  remuneration,  only 
his  traveling  expenses  paid.  But  these  duties  having  increas- 
ed in  importance  and  magnitude,  requiring  more  time  and 
labor,  he  has  been  paid  at  the  rate  of  $100  per  year  and  ex- 
penses. 

In  view  of  the  increased  duties  and  labors  of  the  Corres- 
ponding Secretary,  and  the  increasing  demands  of  the  over- 
sight of  our  growing  missionary  interests,  it  was  recommend- 
ed in  the  annual  report  of  the  society  for  1880  that  a  Corres- 


2,7^  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

ponding  Secretary  be  appointed,  '"who  with  a  moderate  but 
adequate  salary,  shall  devote  his  time  to  the  interests  of  the 
missionary  cause  in  the  home  and  foreign  work."  This  re- 
commendation was  followed  by  nine  good  reasons  for  such  a 
change. 

It  was  also  recommended  that  the  denomination  be  dis- 
tricted, "and  brethren  be  invited  to  serve  as  district  secretaries 
whose  duty  should  be  to  co-operate  with  the  Board  and  the 
Corresponding  Secretary  in  accomplishing  the  ends  of  the  so- 
ciety in  their  respective  districts." 

1881. 

In  1881,  September  5th,  the  Rev.  Nathan  V.  Hull,  D.  D., 
died  at  Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y.  He  became  a  member  of  the  old 
American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  1834, 
and  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Board  of  the  pres- 
ent society. 

In  China  our  missionaries  are  in  good  health,  prosperity 
has  attended  their  labors.  The  old  mission  house  has  been 
rebuilt  at  a  cost  of  $2,022.55,  and  so  arranged  that  it  can  be 
conveniently  occupied  by  two  families.  There  are  ten  Sab- 
bath-keeping families  connected  with  the  church  at  Shanghai 
one  added  by  baptism,  one  Bible  school  organized,  and  two 
clay  schools. 

It  is  recommended  in  the  annual  report  that  the  Mission- 
ary Society  assist  the  Haarlem  church,  Holland,  in  the  support 
of  its  pastor,  the  Rev.  G.  Velthuysen. 

The  Missionary  Society  is  now  working  under  the  new 
charter  granted  by  the  State  of  Rhode  Island,  and  a  change 
was  made  in  the  election  of  the  Board  of  Managers  so  that  a 
working  force  would  be  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  loca- 
tion where  the  business  of  the  Board  is  transacted. 

On  the  home  field  missionary  work  has  been  done  by  mis- 
sionary pastors  and  general  missionaries  in  the  States  of  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  Minnesota,  Iowa, 
Nebraska,  Kansas,  Missouri,  Nebraska,  West  Virginia  and 
Kentucky. 

A  good  deal  of  interest  was  taken  this  year  in  the  Chicago 
mission.  Regular  preaching  was  sustained  there  by  the  IMil- 
ton,  Milton  Junction,  and  Walworth  churches,  giving  the  time 


A  GROUP  OF  FOREIGN   WORKERS. 
Miss  Ella  F.  Swinuey,  M.  D.  Miss  Rosa  W.   Palmberg.   M.  D. 

Rev.  Frederik  J.   Bakker. 

See    Biographical   Sketches,   p.  1361. 


Jacob  Bakker. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  377 

of  their  pastors,  E.  M.  Dunn,  N.  Wardner,  O.  U.  Whitford, 
and  paying  their  traveUng  expenses ;  and  T.  R.  WiUiams,  Act- 
ing President  of  Milton  College,  was  one  of  the  supporters 
with  whom  the  plan  of  supply  originated,  his  expenses  being 
met  by  collection  and  contributions.  Rev.  W.  C.  Whitford, 
James  Bailey,  J.  C.  Rogers,  S.  H.  Babcock  and  others  occa- 
sionally preached  there. 

At  the  session  of  the  Northwestern  Association  held  this 
vear  at  Albion,  Wis.,  it  was  recommended  by  vote  that  the 
Missionary  Board  of  the  denomination  make  arrangements  to 
place  a  man.  as  soon  as  possible,  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  to 
labor  there  permanently  in  the  interests  of  Sabbath  Reform 
and  general  missionary  work,  and  it  pledged  itself  to  give  the 
Board  its  hearty  support  for  this  special  purpose. 

1882. 

The  laborers  in  the  China  mission  were  Rev.  D.  H.  Davis 
and  wife,  Miss  Nelson,  two  native  preachers,  one  Bible  woman 
and  three  teachers  of  day  schools.  Mr.  Davis  was  authorized 
to  buy  a  piece  of  land  in  the  city  of  Ga  Dene  and  to  erect  there- 
on a  suitable  building  for  a  day  school,  at  a  cost  not  to  exceed 
$.300.  Miss  Lizzie  Nelson  was  married  on  June  6th,  1882,  to 
John  Fryer,  Esq.,  Professor  of  Chinese  in  the  Department  of 
the  Translation  of  Foreign  Scientific,  Books  at  the  Kiangnan 
Arsenal,  Shanghai.  Our  China  mission  loses  thereby  one  of 
its  working  force,  yet  it  is  the  purpose  of  Mrs.  Fryer  to  aid 
the  work  of  our  China  mission  all  that  her  new  duties  will  al- 
low. 

The  Board  appropriated  this  year  at  the  rate  of  $300  a 
year  toward  the  su])port  of  the  Rev.  G.  \'elthuysen,  of  Haar- 
lem, as  pastor  and  general  missionary. 

Thirty  churches  received  help  this  year  from  mis- 
sionary funds  in  having  the  living  preacher,  and  twenty  (20) 
more  really  needed  help,  but  it  could  not  be  supplied.  Those 
who  performed  missionary  labor  during  the  year  either  as  mis- 
sionary pastors  or  in  general  missionary  work,  were :  L.  F. 
Randolph,  Horace  Stillman,  W.  J.  Haight,  Joshua  Clarke,  A. 
W.  Coon,  C.  M.  Lewis,  Alexander  Campbell,  E.  A.  Witter, 
Charles  A.  Burdick,  J.  G.  Burdick,  B.  E.  Fisk,  H.  P.  Burdick. 
James  Summerbell,  H.  E.   Babcock,   S.    R.    Wheeler.    F.    F. 


3/8  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Johnson,  H.  B.  Lewis,  C.  J.  Sindall,  G.  ^I.  Cottrell  J.  M. 
Todd,  J.  T.  Davis,  George  J.  Crandall,  C.  W.  Threlkeld. 

The  Missionary  Board  decided  to  estabhsh  a  mission  in 
the  city  of  Chicago  and  it  extended  a  call  to  O.  U.  Whitford, 
of  Walworth,  Wis.,  to  labor  in  that- city,  and  so  far  as  the  in- 
terests in  Chicago  will  allow,  among  the  churches  of  the  North- 
west. He  accepted  the  call  and  began  his  labors  in  October, 
1882.  The  Missionary  Society  loses  the  valuable  services  of 
L.  A.  Platts  as  its  efficient  Recording  Secretary,  he  having  ac- 
cepted the  editorship  of  The  Sabbath  Recorder. 

The  question  of  publishing  a  missionary  paper,  a  month- 
ly, was  discussed  at  the  annual  session  of  <he  society  and  it 
was  recommended  "that  the  matter  be  referred  to  the  Board  of 
]\Ianagers  with  power  to  undertake  the  project,  if,  in  view  of 
all  the  circumstances — including  the  understanding  that  TJie 
Recorder  will  continue  to  be  a  channel  of  general  missionary 
mtelligence — they  deem  it  advisable." 

.       1883. 
Rev.  S.  S.  Griswold  died  in  Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  Xovember 
2,  1882.     He  was  a  member  of  the  Missionary  Board  for  about 
28  years,  and  served  for  portions  of  that  time  as  Recording 
Secretary,  Vice-President  and  Director. 

CHINA. 

Missionaries  Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  wife,  two  native 
preachers,  Ching  Lah  and  Le  Erlow,  one  Bible  woman  and 
three  teachers  of  day  schools,  these  schools  have  66  scholars. 

One  baptism  in  the  year. 

The  China  mission  is  reinforced  by  a  medical  missionary, 
Ella  F.  Swinney,  M.  D.,  Smyrna,  Del.,  formerly  of  Shiloh, 
N.  J.  She  sailed  from  San  Francisco  Xovember  7th,  1883,  on 
the  steamer  City  of  Tokio.  and  arrived  at  Shanghai,  Decem- 
ber 7,  1883.  Previous  to  her  journey  to  China,  on  the  even- 
ing after  the  Sabbath,  October  27th,  1883,  appropriate  fare- 
well services  were  held  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  and  she  left  New 
York  City,  reaching  San  Francisco  November  3rd.  Steps 
have  been  taken  for  a  boarding  school  at  Shanghai.  'The  nec- 
essary land  has  been  purchased  for  about  $250,  and  Mr.  Davis 
has  commenced  a  building  designed  to  accommodate  20  or  30 
boys  and  the  same  number  of  girls." 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  379 

HOLLAND. 

Brother  G.  Velthiiysen  has  labored  as  the  missionary  pas- 
tor of  the  Haarlem  church,  the  church  receiving  financial  aid 
from  the  Missionary  Society.  He  also  publishes  in  the  inter- 
ests of  Sabbath  Reform  a  monthly  called  "de  Boodschapper." 

PIOME    FIELDS. 

Twenty-six  missionary  pastors,  and  missionaries  labored 
on  the  home  mission  fields,  in  the  following  States :  West 
Virginia,  Rhode  Island,  New  Jersey,  New  York,  Rennsylvania, 
Kansas,  Nebraska,  IMissouri,  Arkansas,  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
Iowa,  Kentucky,  Alabama,  Minnesota,  Dakota.  The  work- 
ers: L.  F.  Randolph,  W.  E.  Martin,  Horace  Stillman,  O.  D. 
Williams,  W.  J.  Haight,  A.  W.  Coon,  Joshua  Clarke,  Alexan- 
der Campbell,  H.  P.  Burdick,  B.  E.  Fisk,  D.  E.  Maxson,  E.  A. 
Witter,  James  Summerbell,  J.  G.  Burdick,  S.  R.  Wheeler,  O. 
U.  Whitford,  G.  J.  Crandall,  H.  E.  Babcock,  F.  F.  Johnson, 
J.  T.  Davis,  H.  B.  Lewis,  D.  K.  Davis,  C.  W.  Threlkeld,  J.  J. 
White,  C.  J.  Sindall,  Peter  Ring.  Churches  supplied  and  visit- 
ed 41 ;  other  preaching  places,  94 ;  Sabbath-keeping  fami- 
lies, 336;  religious  visits,  1,856;  added  to  the  churches, 
66;  by  letter  or  experience,  by  baptism,  23  ;  converts  to  the  Sab- 
bath, 25 ;  churches  organized,  4 ;  Bible  schools  organized,  5. 

Rev.  A.  E.  Main  resigned  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Hop- 
kinton  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  and  entered  upon  the  (Cor- 
responding Secretaryship  as  a  salaried  officer  of  the  Mission- 
ary Society,  giving  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  the  duties 
of  that  office  and  in  looking  after  the  missionary  interests  of 
the  denomination.  Salary,  $900.  and  traveling  and  incidental 
expenses  paid.  The  Missionary  Society  published  this  year 
a  missionary  monthly,  "The  Missionary  Reporter,"  under  the 
editorship  and  management  of  Corresponding  Secretary  A.  E. 
]\Iain. 

The  anniversary  of  the  society  was  held  at  Adams  Cen- 
tre, N.  Y.,  September  20,  1883.  Income  for  the  year,  $8,- 
151.84;  expenditures,  $8,105.56. 

1884. 
Anniversary  of  the  society  held  at  Lost  Creek,  West  \'ir- 
ginia,  September  25th. 


380  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

CHINA. 

Missionaries,  D.  H.  Davis  and  wife,  Ella  F.  Swinney,  M. 
D.,  two  native  preachers,  three  teachers  in  the  day  schools. 

The  school  building  has  been  repaired  and  fitted  up-  for 
the  school  work. 

The  building  of  a  medical  mission  building  inaugurated 
at  an  estimated  cost  of  $600. 

HOLLAND. 

Rev.  G.  Velthuysen,  missionary  and  pastor ;  appropria- 
tion to  the  Haarlem  church,  $400.  Results  for  the  year:  two 
baptized,  one  of  them  the  son  of  Brother  Velthuysen ;  converts 
to  the  Sabbath,  a  young  man,  a  family  of  a  husband  and  wife 
and  four  children,  and  the  organization  of  a  church  at  Gronin- 
gen,  of  eleven  members. 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

Twenty-eight  missionaries  and  missionary  pastors;  58  dif- 
ferent churches  supplied  and  visited ;  93  other  preaching 
places ;  added  to  the  churches,  55  by  letter  and  experience,  24 
by  baptism ;  8  churches  organized  and  5  Bible  schools. 

O.  U.  Whitford,  general  missionary  for  Chicago  and  the 
Northwest,  resigned  and  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Pawca- 
tuck  church,  Westerly,  R.  I.,  and  was  succeeded  by  J.  W.  Mor- 
ton, with  headquarters  in  Chicago. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  reports  83  sermons  and  ad- 
dresses in  eleven  different  States ;  the  preparation  of  the  an- 
nual report ;  large  correspondence,  arranging  business  for  each 
Board  meeting ;  preparation  and  sending  out  of  circulars ;  edit- 
ing and  management  of  TJie  Missionary  Reporter;  writing  and 
preparation  of  missionary  matter  for  The  Sabbath  Recorder; 
attended  the  anniversaries  of  the  Conference  and  societies,  and 
five  associations,  and  a  few  meetings  of  the  Tract  Board,  trav- 
llng  in  all  about  12,000  miles.  Total  receipts  to  September  14, 
1884,  $10,239.51.     Total  expenditures  to  September  14,  1884, 

$8,383-25- 

1 885- 1886. 

In  1885  the  anniversaries  were  held  at  x\lfred  Centre,  N. 
Y.,  September  23-27. 

In  1886  they  were  held  at  Milton,  Wis.,  September  22-27. 

In  the  China  mission  the  workers  were  three  missionaries. 
Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  wife  and  Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinnev.  three  na- 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  381 

live  preachers,  four  teachers,  four  regular  and  two  occasional 
helpers  in  the  medical  mission.  The  three  native  preachers  as- 
fisted  Brother  Davis  in  the  evangelistic  work.  The  girls' 
boarding  school  has  been  continued  during  the  year,  with  nine 
scholars.  In  the  medical  mission  Dr.  Swinney  has  had  8,122 
patients  in  the  year,  of  whom  6,966  were  paying  patients,  1,156 
non-paying. 

In  Holland  Rev.  G.  V^elthuysen,  Haarlem ;  F.  Bakker, 
Frieschlo,  have  been  the  missionaries.  Increase  in  the  number 
of  Sabbath-keepers,   13. 

On  the  home  fields  there  have  been  20  workers  as  general 
missionaries  and  missionary  pastors.  There  has  been  prog- 
ress in  missionary  lines  on  the  home  fields,  some  fields  have 
been  occupied  that  have  been  without  missionary  work  for 
some  time.  Because  of  bronchial  trouble,  Secretary  Main  has 
not  been  able  to  give  the  usual  amount  of  personal  attention  to 
the  different  parts  of  his  work,  but  the  work  has  been  well 
sustained  on  account  of  efficient  help.  He  reports,  however, 
4,200  miles  traveled;  32  sermons  and  addresses;  1,134  printed 
packages  mailed ;  63  columns  of  editorial  matter  furnished  for 
Tlie  Recorder;  422  written  communications  received,  and  658 
written.  Total  receipts,  including  $2,293  from  the  permanent 
fund,  $13,572.20.  Total  expenditures  during  the  year,  $10,- 
447.09. 

JEWISH  MISSION. 

On  the  first  of  October,  1886,  Brother  Charles  Theo. 
Lucky  began  mission  work  among  the  Jews  directly  in  connec- 
tion with  our  society  in  New  York  City.  Eight  converted 
Jews  joined  the  Piscataway  church  of  New  Market.  N.  J.  A 
Hebrew  paper  is  also  in  process  of  jmblication  under  the  edi- 
torship and  management  of  Brother  Lucky. 

The  Woman's  Board,  which  was  organized  at  the  Con- 
ference held  at  Lost  Creek,  W.  Va.,  in  1884,  aroused  a  deeper 
and  more  wide-spread  interest  in  missions  among  the  women 
of  our  churches.  The  Missionary  Board  expressed  its  hearty 
and  grateful  appreciation  of  their  earnest  and  efficient  efforts 
in  behalf  of  our  missions. 

Secretary  A.  E.  Main,  because  of  his  chronic  bronchial 
trouble,  spent  most  of  the  Conference  year,  by  the  advice  of 
physicians,  in  Florida,  yet  he  looked  after  the  correspondence, 


302  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

the  missionary  editing  of  The  Recorder,  the  mailing  of  printed 
matter,  etc.,  etc.,  but  the  other  duties  incurring  travel  and  visits 
were  performed  by  willing  and  efficient  helpers. 

1887. 

In  1887  the  45th  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  at  Shiloh,  N.  J.,  September 
22nd. 

Rev.  Alfred  B.  Burdick,  for  many  years  a  life  member  of 
the  Missionary  Society ;  for  one  year  a  home  general  mission- 
ary; for  twenty-one  years  a  Vice-President,  serving  during  fif- 
teen years  as  first  Vice-President,  died  at  Westerly,  R.  I.,  July 
3,  1887,  Seven  other  life  members  of  the  society  died  during 
the  year. 

In  China  there  have  been  the  usual  number  of  workers. 
Girls  in  the  girls'  boarding  school,  9;  boys  in  the  country  day 
school,  27;  in  the  city  day  school,  18;  number  of  members  in 
the  church,  18.  In  the  medical  mission  there  was  about  the 
same  amount  of  work  of  last  year.  The  chief  interest  in  the 
China  mission  is  in  the  re-enforcing  the  mission. 

In  Holland,  on  account  of  the  illness  of  the  Rev.  G.  Vel- 
thuysen.  his  son,  G.  \'elthuysen,  Jr.,  reported  the  work  and  the 
cause  in  Holland.  Brother  F.  J.  Bakker  is  the  elder  of  the 
Frieschlo  church,  having  seven  members.  There  are  57 
Seventh-day  Baptists  at  present  in  Holland,  living  in  12  differ- 
ent places,  and  13  Christians  wdio  keep  the  Sabbath,  but  are 
not  Seventh-day  Baptists.  Pastor  G.  \'elthuysen,  when  able, 
led  the  meetings  of  our  people  in  Rotterdam  and  Amsterdam. 

On  the  home  fields,  the  missionary  pastors  and  general 
missionaries  were  as  follows :  In  the  Southeastern  Associa- 
tion, Elders  S.  D.  Davis,  H.  B.  Lewis ;  Eastern  Association. 
Horace  Stillman,  U.  ]\I.  Babcock;  Central  Association,  L.  C. 
Rogers,  Perie  Randolph  Burdick;  Western  Association,  L.  A. 
Platts,  H.  P.  Burdick;  Northwestern,  J.  W.  Morton,  S.  R. 
Wheeler,  D.  K.  Davis.  W.  H.  Ernst,  A.  G.  Crofoot,  C.  W. 
Threlkeld :  Southwestern  Association,  S.  W.  Rutledge,  W.  K. 
Johnson.  J.  F.  Shaw,  F.  ]\I.  Mayes;  Scandinavian  mission  in 
IMinnesota  and  Wisconsin,  C.  J.  Sindall. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  383 

FIXANCES. 

The  receipts  during  the  year,  from  September  9,  1886,  to 
September  12,  1887,  for  the  general  fund  were  $10,783.66;  the 
receipts  on  the  China ^eld  by  our  missionaries  from  contribu- 
tions, prescriptions,  etc.,  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1887, 
were  $317.36,  making  the  total  income  $11,101.02.  Total  re- 
ceipts, including  the  $487.50  for  the  permanent  fund,  $ii,-' 
588.52.  Expenditures  directly  out  of  our  treasury  were  $10,- 
^^6.21.  Additional  expenditures  reported  from  China,  out 
Ci  funds  received  on  that  field,  ^^iy.T,6,  making  the  total  ex- 
penditures $10,853.67.  The  year  was  commenced  in  debt. 
The  income  during  the  year  has  met  all  expenses,  paid  all  the 
debts  and  there  is  a  balance  in  the  treasury  September  12, 
1887,  the  close  of  the  year,  of  $247.35. 


i{ 

In  1888  the  46th  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist IMissionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Leonardsville,  N. 
Y.,  August  23rd. 

IMrs.  Olive  B.  Wardner,  wife  of  Rev.  Nathan  Wardner, 
a  missionary  with  him  in  China,  died  at  Milton  Junction,  Wis., 
October  5th,  1888.  of  paralysis. 

Secretary  A.  E.  Main.  Rev.  O.  U.  Whitford  and  wife,  and 
Miss  Mary  F.  Bailey  attend  the  London  International  Mis- 
sionary Conference  in  June,  1888,  as  delegates  from  the  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

SUMMARY  OF  WORK. 

China :  Three  American  missionaries ;  2  native  preach- 
ers ;  2  native  teachers ;  i  Bible  woman ;  5  other  native  helpers ; 
360  sermons  and  addresses ;  5  baptisms ;  4,220  patients  at  the 
dispensary ;  82  medical  visits ;  40  surgical  operations ;  the  call- 
ing of  Gideon  H.  F.  Randolph  and  wife  as  missionaries  to  re- 
inforce the  China  mission ;  the  call  accepted  and  are  to  be  ready 
to  sail  not  later  than  October  i.  1888. 

Holland :  Rev.  G.  \'elthuyscn  restored  to  health ;  i  paid 
missionary,  but  really  3  workers,  besides  Brother  Bakker ;  only 
21  weeks  of  labor,  owing  to  the  missionary's  illness;  46  ser- 
mons, and  5  additions,  one  by  baptism,  not  including  one  bap- 
tism bv  Brother  Bakker. 


384  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Mission  to  the  Jews:  Two  workers:  Brother  Ch.  Th. 
Lucky,  in  New  York  City,  and  Brother  Joseph  P.  Landow, 
who  sailed  from  New  York  for  Gahcia,  Austria,  in  May  under 
an  appointment  by  the  Board,  extending  from  May  i,  1888,  to 
July  I,  1889;  38  weeks  of  labor;  20  addresses,  no  baptisms  but 
several  adherents. 

Home  Missions :  Twenty-four  workers,  including  the 
Secretary;  612  weeks  of  labor;  1,311  sermons  and  addresses; 
150  additions — 85  by  baptism  and  5  churches  and  7  ^Bible 
schools  organized. 

Scandinavian  Mission:  One  worker;  16  weeks  of  labor; 
29  sermons. 

Total  for  America :  Twenty-six  workers ;  662  weeks  of 
labor;  1,360  sermons  and  addresses;  150  additions,  85  by  bap- 
tism, and  5  churches  and  7  Bible  schools  organized.  Total  ad- 
dition on  the  whole  field,  160 — 91  by  baptism.  Receipts  for  the 
year  were  $7,197.12;  expenditures,  $7,311.58. 

1889. 

In  1889  the  47th  annual  session  of  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety was  held  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  August  22d. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Deacon  Nathan  H.  Langworthy,  member  of  the  Alission- 
ary  Board  nearly  30  years,  who  presided  at  the  annual  session 
held  at  Lost  Creek,  W.  Va.,  in  1884,  died  at  his  residence. 
Westerly,  May  28,   1889. 

REINFORCEMENT    OF    THE    CHINA    MISSION. 

Consecration  services  of  Brother  and  Sister  G.  H.  F.  Ran- 
dolph at  Alfred  Center,  N.  Y.,  September  19,  1888.  Sailed 
from  San  Francisco  Sepember  29th.  Safe  arrival  of  G.  H.  F. 
Randolph  and  wife  in  China  October  29th,  1888,  and  their 
entrance   upon   their  labors   with   energy   and   zeal. 

Boys'  Boarding  School  organized  and  opened  February 
T5th,  1889.  Rev.  Mr.  Davis  had  in  charge  the  instruction  in 
Chinese.  The  English  teaching  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Randolph.     Number  of  boys  in  the  school,  16. 

The  Girls'  Boarding  School,  number  of  girls,  13.  Mrs. 
D.  H.  Davis  taught  various  classes,  and  had  the  management 
and  supervision  of  the  school.  The  daughter  of  Dzau  Tsuny 
(24) 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  385 

Lau,  one  of  the  teachers,  and  one  of  her  brothers  assisted  in 
teaching  one  of  the  classical  studies. 

Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick,  of  Alfred  Centre,  X.  Y.,  accepted 
the  invitation  of  the  Woman's  Board  to  go  to  China  as  a  mis- 
sionary teacher  and  the  call  of  the  ^Missionary  Society,  she  to 
be  ready  to  sail  in  the  autumn.  Consecration  services  were 
lield  at  this  annual  session,  relating  to  her  appointment  and 
departure,  as  missionary  teacher  at  Shanghai,  China. 

Mrs.  Harriet  S.  Clarke,  President  of  the  Woman's  Board, 
gave  an  address  and  an  earnest  appeal  to  the  people. 

T.  R.  Williams,  D.  D.,  Miss  Burdick's  pastor,  addressed 
the  people  and  the  candidate.  Secretary  Main  spoke  of  our 
foreign  and  home  mission  work,  their  interdependence.  Miss 
Susie  Burdick  said  she  did  not  enter  into  this  work  because 
she  did  not  appreciate  the  home  work.  She  did  not  go  into 
it  rashly.  She  went  into  it  because  she  felt  that  God  called 
her  into  the  foreign  work,  and  she  desired  to  do  that  work — 
she  felt  that  it  was  her  work. 

A.  H.  Lewis  offered  the  consecrating  prayer,  tender, 
touching,  soul-melting,  assisted  by  Mrs.  Harriet  S.  Clarke,  A. 
E.  Main  and  T.  R.  Williams. 

The  medical  mission  increasing  in  interest  among  the 
Chinese,  and  the  work  so  increasing  that  Dr.  Swinney  needs 
an  assistant.  She. had  an  attack  of  fever,  so  the  dispensary  had 
to  be  closed  two  months. 

HOLLAND. 

Rev.  G.  Velthuysen  labors  with  energy  and  zeal  during 
the  whole  year,  distributing  tracts,  preaching  and  lecturing, 
and  made  missionary  trips  in  Holland  and  in  Germany.  Rev. 
¥.  ].  Bakker  labors  at  Frieschlo,  his  support  to  the  amount 
of  $120  a  year  is  assumed  by  P.rother  Nathan  Wardner,  of 
Milton  Junction,  Wis.,  in  which  he  has  the  co-operation  of  in- 
dividuals and  of  the  church  of  which  he  is  pastor, 

MISSION   TO  THE  JEWS. 

Bro.  Ch.  Th.  Lucky  still  laboring  in  New  York  as  mis- 
sionary among  his  peoj)le,  also  publishing  the  Ednth  L.  Israel, 
the  Hebrew  paper,  and  distributing  it  among  Jews  in  this  and 
other  lands. 

Joseph  P.  Landow  arrived  in  due  time  in  his  native  land. 


386  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Galicia,  Austria,  and  engaged  in  missionary  work  among  his 
people  in  preaching  the  gospel ;  at  meetings  for  prayer,  in  per- 
sonal conversation,  and  in  the  distribution  of  Hebrew  New 
Testaments  and  of  the  Eduth  L.  Israel,  in  many  towns  and  vil- 
lages. He  found  difficulties,  hard  work,  prejudice  and  oppo- 
sition. But  he  succeeded  in  removing  prejudices,  and  in  gain- 
ing some  hearts,  but  suddenly  he  died  at  the  home  of  one  whom 
he  had  just  led  to  Jesus,  in  Roumania,  January,  1889,  and  thus 
a  hopeful  mission  begun  in  Galicia  among  the  Jews  virtually 
came  to  an  end.  Rev.  Z.  H.  Friedlander,  who  died  in  New 
York  City  November  12,  1888,  was  a  co-laborer  with  Mr. 
Lucky  in  editing  and  publishing  the  Peculiar  People,  a  paper 
in  the  English  language  for  the  spread  of  Christianity  among 
the  Jews.  Mr.  Friedlander  had  commenced  keeping  the  Sab- 
bath and  was  looking  forward  to  baptism. 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

The  following  workers  were  during  the  year  on  the  home 
fields:  E.  A.  Witter  in  Rhode  Island;  S.  D.  Davis  in  West 
Virginia  and  Southern  Pennsylvania;  O.  S.  Mills,  Berea,  W. 
Va. ;  D.  N.  Newton  in  North  Carohna;  Perie  R.  Randolph, 
Lincklaen  and  Otselic,  N.  Y.;  L.  A.  Platts,  Hornellsville,  N. 
Y.  ;'E.  H.  Socwell,  part  of  the  year  at  Andover,  N.  Y. ;  Joshua 
Clarke  at  Andover  and  Wellsville,  N.  Y. ;  J.  G.  Burdick,  West 
Genesee,  N.  Y. ;  J.  W.  Morton,  Chicago  and  the  Northwest; 
W.  W.  Ames,  Berlin,  Wis. ;  R.  Trewartha,  Cartwright,  Wis. ; 
A.  G.  Crofoot,  New  Auburn,  Minn.;  W.  H.  Ernst,  Trenton 
and  Alden,  Minn.;  J.  T.  Davis,  Welton,  la.;  E.  H.  Socwell, 
larger  part  of  the  year  at  Garwin,  la. ;  U.  M.  Babcock,  Hum- 
boldt, Neb. ;  Madison  Harry  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska ;  H.  E. 
Babcock,  Western  Kansas ;  R.  S.  Holderby  in  Southern  Mis- 
souri ;  C.  W.  Threlkeld  and  F.  F.  Johnson  in  Southern  Illinois ; 
R.  S.  Wilson  in  Alabama ;  J.  F.  Shaw  in  Arkansas  and  Texas ; 
D.  R.  Stratton  in  Southern  Arkansas  and  Northern  Louisiana ; 
W.  C.  Titsworth,  six  weeks  in  Hammond,  La.  These  workers 
on  the  home  field  report  844  weeks  or  over  16  years  of  labor;- 
1,832  sermons;  47,624  pages  of  tracts  distributed;  the  ordina- 
tion of  one  minister  and  five  deacons ;  the  organization  of  four 
churches  and  one  Bible  school;  133  additions  to  the  churches, 
yT^  being  by  baptism. 


CHRISTIAN    Tlll-:OPillLUS    IX'CKY. 
See    BiograMii:al    Skclchcs.  p.    1361. 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  387 

The  Corresponding  Secretary  performed  his  usual  work, 
excepting  the  one  month  he  went  to  the  London  Missionary 
Conference  and  the  four  months  in  Florida  for  his  health  ;  in 
these  five  months  the  missionary  interests  were  cared  for  by 
his  friends  and  friends  to  our  missions. 

FINANCES. 

Total  receipts  (including  balance)  from  September  20, 
1888,  to  August  ist,  1889,  including  loans,  $12,238.81 ;  total 
expenditures  and  payment  in  same  time,  $12,212.37;  balance 
cash,  August  ist,  1889,  $26.44. 

TENTH   DECADE,    189O-I9OO. 

In  1890  the  48th  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Salem,  W.  Va., 
August  2 1  St. 

Our  missionaries  in  China  are  Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  wife, 
Ella  F.  Swinney,  M.  D.,  Rev.  G.  H.  F.  Randolph  and  wife  and 
Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick.  Helpers :  Two  occasional  native 
preachers,  i  native  teacher  and  2  assistants  in  Girls'  Boarding 
School ;  I  native  teacher  and  i  assistant  in  the  Boys'  Boarding 
School,  3  assistants  in  the  dispensary ;  number  of  girls  in  Board- 
ing school,  12 ;  number  of  boys  in  boarding  school,  10.  Added 
to  the  church,  2 ;  deaths,  2 ;  present  membership,  30 ;  20.500 
pages  of  tracts,  papers  and  calendars  distributed.  In  the  medi- 
cal mission  3.137  patients  treated;  paying  patients,  1,790,  un- 
paid, 1.347,  number  of  visits  by  Dr.  Swinney,  162. 

HOLLAND. 

Brother  G.  Velthuysen  pastor  at  Haarlem,  visits  regularly 
the  Sabbath-keepers  in  Amsterdam,  has  a  Bible  class  there  of 
thirteen  boys  and  girls ;  engaged  in  Sabbath  Reform  and  tem- 
perance work,  publishes  the  Boodschapper ;  visited  once  the 
Sabbath-keepers  at  Gladback,  Germany. 

A  church  organized  at  Rotterdam,  of  ten  members. 
Brother  F.  J.  Bakker  is  pastor,  having  moved  from  Frieschlo 
to  Rotterdam. 

JEWISH   MISSIONS. 

During  the  period  embraced  in  this  report,  no  work  has 
been  done  among  the  Jews  under  our  auspices.     Since  the  close 


388  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

of  the  ofificial  year,  however,  an  appropriation  has  been  voted 
to  aid  Brother  Ch.  Th.  Lucky,  who  seems  to  be  doing  good 
work  in  Germany  and  Austria. 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

E.  A.  Witter,  missionary  pastor  in  Rhode  Island  ;  ]\Irs. 
Perie  R.  Burdick,  missionary  pastor  Lincklaen  and  Otselic,  N. 
Y. ;  Joshua  Clarke  at  Wellsville  and  Andover,  N.  Y. ;  J.  T. 
Davis  at  Hornellsville,  N.  Y. ;  J.  W.  Morton,  general  mission- 
ary in  the  Northwestern  Association,  Chicago,  111. ;  E.  B. 
Saunders  at  Rock  River,  Wis. ;  E.  H.  Socwell  at  Garwin,  la. ; 
J.  T.  Davis,  eight  months  at  Welton,  la. ;  J.  M.  Todd,  Berlin, 
Wis. ;  R.  Trewartha  at  Cartwright,  Wis. ;  A.  G.  Crofoot  at 
New  Auburn,  Minn. ;  S.  R.  Wheeler,  pastor  at  Dodge  Centre, 
missionary  in  Minnesota ;  Madison  Harry,  general  missionary 
in  Kansas  and  Nebraska ;  U.  M.  Babcock,  missionary  pastor. 
Long  Branch,  Neb. ;  S.  I.  Lee,  Taney,  Idaho ;  C.  W.  Threl- 
keld  and  F.  F.  Johnson,  missionaries  in  Southern  Illinois  and 
Kentucky ;  S.  D.  Davis,  general  missionary  in  West  Virginia, 
Southern  Pennsylvania  and  North  Carolina ;  O.  S.  Mills,  mis- 
sionary pastor  Berea,  W.  Va. ;  J.  F.  Shaw,  general  missionary 
in  Arkansas,  Texas  and  adjacent  fields;  L.  F.  Skaggs,  general 
missionary  Southern  Missouri ;  R.  S.  Wilson,  missionary  in 
Alabama ;  Pastor  E.  M.  Dunn  made  a  missionary  visit  to 
Southern  Missouri,  the  Milton  church  giving  the  time,  the 
Board  paying  the  traveling  expenses;  Pastor  A.  B.  Prentice, 
of  Adams  Center,  N.  Y.,  on  the  same  plan,  spent  three  months 
at  Hammond  and  Hewitt's  Springs,  Miss. ;  George  W.  Mc- 
Carty   did   some  missionary  work  at  DeWitt,  Ark. 

Secretary  A.  E.  Main,  still  in  poor  health,  doing  part  of 
his  work,  others  helping  him  out. 

LONDON,    ENGLAND. 

The  Mill  Yard  church  property,  was  sold  in  18 —  for  £5,- 
500,  or  $27,500,  having  been  condemned  by  The  London  and 
Tilsbury  Railroad  Company  for  a  railroad  track  through  it. 
The  money  was  paid  over  to  the  Court  of  Chancery  of  Eng- 
land. "The  question  of  disposing  of  the  money  received  from 
the  sale  of  the  old  Mill  Yard  church  property  has  long  been 
in  law,  an  unrighteous  -effort  having  been  made  to  divert  the 
money  and  the  funds  from  the  John  Davis  Estate  for  the  sup- 


A   GROUP   OF   REPRESENTATIVE   EVANGELISTS. 
Rev.  Lely  D.   Seager.  Rev.  Charles   M.  Lewis. 

Rev.  Varmim   Hull.  Rev.  Judson    G.    Burdick. 

See      Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  389 

port  of  the  ministers  from  their  originally  intended  purpose, 
on  the  ground  that  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  cause  was  dead  or 
rapidly  dying.  The  old  trustees  of  the  fund  have  stood  by 
our  interests  ;  lawyers'  fees  have  grown  large ;  and  the  court 
has  at  length  decided  that  a  new  chapel  shall  be  built.  But  it 
must  be  for  the  joint  use  of  the  Sabbath-keeping  and  Sunday- 
keeping  Baptists,  and  its  location  to  be  fixed,  not  by  those 
whose  right  it  is  to  fix  it,  the  Mill  Yard  church  itself,  but  by 
the  trustees  of  the  fund,  under  the  court,  the  original  number 
liaving  been  increased  by  the  addition  of  First-day  Baptist 
members." 

The  Mill  Yard  church  has  a  membership  of  fifteen  (15). 
Dr.  William  M.  Jones  earnestly  appeals  to  our  people  in  Ameri- 
ca to  send  him  a  helper  and  to  aid  him  in  securing  the  funds 
and  property  for  the  support  and  perpetuity  of  the  Mill  Yard 
church. 

1891. 

In  1 89 1  the  forty-ninth  annual  session  of  the  Missionary 
Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the  General  Conference 
at  Westerly,  R.  I.,  August  20th. 

IN   MEMORIAM. 

George  Greenman  died  at  his  home  in  Greenmanville, 
Mystic,  Conn.,  May  21,  1891,  in  the  86th  year  of  his  age.  Mr. 
Greenman  was  one  of  the  thirteen  constituent  members  of  the 
Missionary  Society  at  its  organization  in  1843,  and  one  of  the 
first  life  members.  He  was  a  Vice-President  in  1846,  1847 
and  1859;  a  Director  from  1848  to  1850  and  President  of  the 
society  from  i860  to  1891 ;  over  thirty  years.  The  last  annual 
meeting  of  the  society  over  which  he  presided  was  in  1882.  He 
was  present  in  1887,  and,  after  a  few  remarks,  asked  to  be  re- 
lieved from  the  duties  of  the  presiding  officer  and  called  upon 
Mr.  William  L.  Clarke,  the  first  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  to 
lake  his  place. 

James  R.  Irish,  D.  D.,  died  in  Rockville,  R.  I.,  March  3, 
1891,  in  the  80th  year  of  his  age.  He  became  a  life  mem- 
ber of  this  society  about  1852,  was  one  of  the  Mce-Presidents 
a  number  of  years,  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers 
from  1880  to  the  time  of  his  death. 


390  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Horatio  S.  Berry  died  at  Cottage  City,  Mass.,  July  28, 
1891.  His  name  appears  early  on  the  records  of  the  Mission- 
ary Society  and  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers  from 
1862  to  1876. 

Thomas  V.  Stillman  died  in  New  York  City,  August  21, 
1891,  He  was  a  member  of  the  Missionary  Board  from  1862 
to  1880,  and  1890  and  1891,  and  served  the  society  as  Record- 
ing Secretary  from  1871  to  1876.  Rev.  Solomon  Carpenter, 
D.  D.,  was  born  in  Hancock,  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  March 
16,  1808,  and  died  in  London,  England,  December  21,  1891. 
He  was  a  pioneer  missionary  with  the  Rev.  Nathan  Wardner 
to  China  and  was  at  the  head  of  that  mission  a  number  of  years. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  consecration,  devotion  and  gentleness, 
and  his  work  in  Shanghai,  China,  in  the  years  i847-'58,  1863- 
'64  and  i873-'76  were  marked  by  great  faithfulness  and  wis- 
dom, and  his  relations  with  the  Missionary  Society  with  great 
Christian  courtesy  and  generosity, 

CHINA  MISSION. 

Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  family  are  in  the  home  land.  Af- 
ter over  eleven  years  of  missionary  labor  in  China,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Davis  with  their  children  returned  to  the  home  land  for 
rest,  recuperation,  change  of  climate  and  for  fellowship  and 
conference  with  our  people. 

They  arrived  in  New  York  on  the  morning  of  May  9th, 
1891,  having  come  by  the  way  of  England.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Davis  attended  the  associations,  visited  churches  until 
October.  They  attended  the  General  Conference.  Their 
labor  among  our  people  in  the  interests  of  the  China 
mission  was  interrupted  by  the  sudden  death  of  their  daughter, 
Susie,  at  Nile,  N.  Y.,  July  4,  1891,  which  brought  overwhelm- 
ing grief  and  sorrow  to  her  parents. 

The  mission  was  successfully  maintained  by  Rev.  G.  H, 
F.  Randolph  and  wife,  Dr.  Swinney,  and  Miss  Susie  M.  Bur- 
dick,  with  their  native  helpers.  Added  to  the  church,  4;  dis- 
missed, I ;  death,  i  ;  present  membership,  ^2. 

In  Holland  Brother  Velthuysen  is  vigorously  carrying  on 
the  work.  He  was  much  cheered  by  the  visit  of  George  H. 
Babcock  and  President  W.  C.  Whitford,  of  Milton  College. 

Brother  F.  J.  Bakker  is  the  pastor  at  Rotterdam,  who  in 


L      -^h 


GROR(i !■:   CREENMAN. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,    p. 


1361 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  391 

addition  to  his  pastoral  labors,  distributes  a  large  amount  of 
religious  and  Sabbath  literature  among  the  seamen  and  emi- 
grants coming  to  that  port. 

WORK  FOR  THE  JEWS. 

Mr.  Ch.  Th.  Lucky  is  still  at  work  in  Austria.  His  work 
and  influence  are  felt  and  acknowledged  by  prominent  workers 
among  the  Jews.  The  Board  has  no  Jewish  mission,  but  con- 
tributes $ioo  to  aid  Brother  Lucky  in  his  work. 

MISSIONARY  PASTORS. 

O.  S.  Mills,  Berea,  W.  Va. ;  M.  E.  Martin,  Greenbriar, 
Middle  Island  and  West  Union  churches,  W.  Va. ;  E.  A.  Wit- 
ter, First  and  Second  Westerly  churches,  R.  L ;  Joshua  Clarke, 
Andover,  N.  Y. ;  J.  T.  Davis,  Hornellsville,  N.  Y. ;  J.  M.  Todd, 
Berlin,  Wis. ;  E.  B.  Saunders,  Rock  River,  Wis. ;  A.  G.  Cro- 
foot,  New  Auburn,  Minn. ;  E.  H.  Socwell,  Garwin,  la. ;  D.  K. 
Davis,  Pleasant  Grove  Church,  South  Dakota ;  U.  M.  Babcock, 
Humboldt,  Neb. ;  S.  L  Lee,  Fouke,  Ark. ;  George  W.  Lewis, 
Hammond,  La. 

MISSIONARY  EVANGELISTS. 

Brother  S.  D.  Davis  half  of  the  year  in  West  Virginia. 

J.  L.  Huffman,  under  the  appointment  of  the  Board,  his 
salary  provided  for  by  the  Young  People's  Permanent  Com- 
mittee. Commenced  April  ist  and  labored  in  West  Virginia, 
North  Carolina  and  New  York. 

GENERAL    MISSIONARY    WORK. 

J.  W.  Morton,  Chicago,  111.,  in  the  Northwestern  Asso- 
ciation, 43  weeks,  then  became  pastor  of  the  North  Loup 
church,  Neb. 

O.  U.  Whitford,  late  pastor  of  the  Pawcatuck  church, 
Westerly,  R.  I.,  succeeded  Mr.  ]\Iorton  as  general  missionary 
in  the  Northwest  with  headquarters  at  Milton,  Wis. 

C.  W.  Threlkeld  and  F.  F.  Johnson  in  Southern  Illinois. 

S.  R.  Wheeler  did  a  month's  general  missionary  work  in 
Minnesota.  E.  H.  Socwell,  in  Iowa;  Madison  Harry  in  Kan- 
sas, J.  F.  Shaw  in  Arkansas,  Mississippi  and  Louisiana;  S.  I. 
Lee  in  Texas  and  Indian  Territory  ;  L.  F.  Skaggs  in  Missouri ; 
R.  S.  Wilson  in  Alabama. 

Several  pastors  performed  some  missionary  work  during 


392  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

the  year,  the  churches  giving  the  time,  the  society  paying  the 
travehng  expenses. 

The  First  National  Seventh-day  Baptist  Council  was  held 
in  Chicago,  111.,  October  22-29,  1890.  The  Missionary  So- 
ciety was  represented  in  said  council  by  two  delegates :  the 
Treasurer,  A.  L.  Chester;  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  A.  E. 
Main. 

The  work  on  the  home  fields  this  year  is  one  of  the  most 
successful  in  the  history  of  the  Missionary  Society.  Twenty- 
nine  laborers  in  twenty  States  and  Territories,  laboring,  in  to- 
tal over  18  years.  Addition  to  churches  by  this  labor,  148; 
two  churches  organized,  2  Sabbath  schools,  i  Endeavor  So- 
ciety. 

1892. 

The  fiftieth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the  Seventh - 
day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Nortonville,  Kansas, 
August  25,  1892. 

CHINA   MISSION. 

The  workers  in  this  field  the  past  year  have  been  the  Rev. 
G.  H.  F.  Randolph  and  wife,  Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney,  Miss  Susie 
M.  Burdick,  native  preachers  and  teachers  and  other  helpers. 
The  Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  family  have  spent  the  year  in  the 
home  land  with  profit  to  the  cause  and  benefit  to  themselves. 
They  expcjct  to  return  to  their  labors  in  China  in  the  late 
autumn  or  early  winter.  It  is  expected  that  the  Rev.  G.  H.  F. 
Randolph  and  family  will  return  to  America,  leaving  the 
China  mission  permanently  as  soon  as  practicable  after  the  ar- 
rival of  Mr.  Davis  at  Shanghai. 

HOLLAND. 

The  work  in  this  country  under  the  same  workers. 
Brethren  G.  Velthuysen,  Sr.,  and  F.  J.  Bakker,  is  moving  for- 
ward wuth  encouraging  success. 

HOME   MISSIONS. 

The  laborers  are  nearly  the  same  as  last  year  and  in  the 
same  places,  with  a  few  additions:     The  Rev.  T.  L.  Gardiner 


REV.  GIDEON  HENRY   FITZ   RANDOLPH. 
See    Hiograt>hical    Sketches,  p.    I36K 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  393 

as  missionary  pastor  at  Salem,  W.  Va. ;  Rev.  Horace  Stillman. 
Rhode  Island,  and  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Powers,  general  missionary 
in  Texas  and  Indian  Territory. 

This  year  is  marked  as  the  beginning  of  the  Student  Evan- 
gelistic Movement.  The  following  young  men,  F.  E.  Peter- 
son, L.  C.  Randolph,  T.  J.  Van  Horn,  D.  B.  Coon,  George  B. 
Shaw  and  W.  D.  Burdick,  students  in  the  Theological  Semin- 
ary, Morgan  Park,  111.,  offered  to  go  out  together,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Board  for  missionary,  evangelistic  and  Sabbath 
Reform  work  during  the  summer  vacation ;  and  their  offer 
was  cordially  accepted. 

Mr.  I.  J.  Ordway,  of  Chicago,  deeply  interested  in  the 
movement,  greatly  aided  the  young  men  in  their  plans  and 
was  chiefly  instrumental  in  raising  the  needed  funds.  They 
labored  with  great  success,  arousing  much  enthusiasm,  and  in- 
terest by  their  quartet  singing  of  the  gospel  as  well  as  preach- 
ing it,  at  New  Canton,  111. ;  Barry,  111. ;  at  Welton,  Marion, 
Garwin  and  Grand  Junction,  Iowa.  They  attended  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  at  Nortonville,  Kan.,  and  by  their  fine  singing 
of  stirring  gospel  songs  added  much  to  the  interest  and  enthu- 
siasm of  ♦^\iis  general  yearly  gathering. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary,  besides  his  many  duties 
and  labors,  edited  and  published  the  "Jubilee  Papers,"  as  mark- 
ing the  ';emi-centennial  of  the  Missionary  Society  and  as  a 
valuable  summary  of  its  work  for  fifty  years. 

On  the  home  field  there  were  this  year  34  workers,  in  18 
States  and  Territories,  reporting  2,449  sermons,  4,378  visits, 
distribution  of  58.780  pages  of  tracts  and  1,082  papers;  260 
additions  to  the  churches ;  one  church  organized,  4  Bible 
schools  and  7  Christian  Endeavor  Societies. 
'  The  Treasurer's  report  shows  the  actual  income,  includ- 
ing $250,  for  the  permanent  fund,  was  $13,686.99 — the  largest 
ever  received.  The  expenditures  not  including  the  payment  of 
bank  loans,  were  $12,556.30;  the  net  indebtedness  has  been 
reduced  $1,702.12,  or  from  $4,293.29  to  $2,591.17. 

IN   MEMORI.XM. 

Rev.  George  B.  Utter  died  in  his  home  at  Westerly,  R.  I., 
August  28,  1892.  He  served  the  Missionary  Society  as  Re- 
cording Secretary  twelve  consecutive  years,  beginning  in  1847. 


394  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

He  was  chosen  its  Treasurer  in  1862  and  was  continued  in  that 
office  for  the  next  twenty-one  years.  He  preached  in  1853  the 
missionary  sermon  before  the  society  and  subsequently  at  two 
of  its  annual  sessions.  For  some  time  prior  to  1867  he  was 
the  general  agent  of  the  Missionary  Board.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Managers  at  his  death. 

Rev.  James  Bailey  died  at  Milton,  Wis.,  July  31,  1892. 
Was  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society  five 
years.  He  entered  into  the  service  of  the  society  as  mission- 
ary in  1865,  and  labored  as  general  missionary  in  the  West  and 
Northwest  until  the  summer  of  1869,  when,  on  account  of 
feeble  health  he  resigned  his  appointment.  While  as  mission- 
ary he  organized  the  mission  school  conducted  by  our  people 
in  Chicago  at  the  Pacific  Garden  Mission.  At  one  time  he 
conducted  a  Sabbath  discussion  in  the  leading  Chicago  papers. 
Our  people  owe  very  much  to  Brother  James  Bailey  as  a  Sab- 
bath Reformer  and  evangelistic  laborer  among  us. 

1893. 

The  fifty-first  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  at  Milton,  Wis.,  August  24, 
1893. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams  died  in  Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y., 
March  5,  1893.  He  was  for  forty  years  a  life  member  of  the 
Missionary  Society  and  for  many  years  at  dififerent  times  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

Rev.  James  Summerbell  died  in  February,  1893.  He 
labored  as  a  missionary  at  different  times  under  the  Mission- 
ary Board,  on  the  home  fields. 

CHINA  MISSION. 

The  Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  family  returned  to  China,  hav- 
ing set  sail  for  China  from  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  February  14, 
1893,  on  steamship  "China,"  and  arrived  at  Shanghai  March 
14th,  1893. 

The  Rev.  G.  H.  F.  Randolph  and  family  returned  from 
China  to  America,  having  set  sail  from  Shanghai  on  steamship 
"Empress  of  Japan"  March  25,  1893,  and  arrived  home  April 
20,  1893. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  395 

Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney  having  received  permission  to  re- 
turn home  to  visit  her  aged  mother,  relatives  and  friends  and 
to  receive  the  benefit  of  a  short  rest  and  change  for  at  least 
three  months,  took  passage  on  the  "Empress  of  Japan,"  which 
left  Shanghai  May  2"],  1893,  and  arrived  at  the  home  of  her 
brother,  Dr.  C.  O.  Swinney,  Smyrna,  Del,  June  21,  1893, 
where  she  met  her  mother.  While  in  the  home  land  she  will 
visit  hospitals  and  see  our  people  as  much  as  she  can  in  the  time 
she  is  here.  She  attended  the  Conference  and  anniversaries  at 
Milton,  Wis.,  and  received  warm  personal  greetings  and  a 
warm  welcome  from  the  people,  and  her  addresses  and  talks 
added  much  to  the  interest  of  the  Conference. 

HOLLAND. 

Beside  the  labors  of  our  missionary,  Mr.  Velthuysen,  Miss 
Maria  Van  der  Steur  has  been  employed  to  do  city  missionary 
work  in  Haarlem.  Brother  F.  J.  Bakker  has  done  good  work 
as  missionary  pastor  of  the  little  church  at  Rotterdam. 

HOME  FIELDS. 

Laborers :  Horace  Stillman,  missionary  pastor  First  and 
Second  Westerly  churches,  Rhode  Island ;  O.  S.  Mills,  Linck- 
laen  and  Otselic  churches.  New  York ;  H.  B.  Lewis,  Watson, 
N.  Y. ;  J.  T.  Davis,  Hornellsville  and  Hartsville,  N.  Y. ;  O.  U. 
Whitford,  general  missionary  in  the  West  and  Northwest ;  J. 
W.  Todd,  missionary  pastor,  Berlin,  Wis. ;  A.  G.  Crofoot,  New 
Auburn,  Minn. ;  E.  H.  Socwell,  Garwin,  Iowa ;  D.  K.  Davis, 
Pleasant  Grove  church.  South  Dakota ;  Madison  Harry,  gen- 
eral missionary,  Kansas ;  S.  R.  Wheeler,  general  missionary, 
Colorado ;  T.  L.  Gardiner,  missionary  pastor,  Salem,  W.  Va. ; 
M.  E.  Martin,  Greenbriar  and  West  Union  churches.  West 
\'irginia ;  L.  D.  Seager,  missionary  pastor,  Berea,  W.  Va. ;  L. 
F.  Skaggs,  general  missionary  in  Missouri ;  George  W.  Lewis, 
missionary  pastor,  Hammond,  La. ;  S.  I.  Lee,  general  mission- 
ary, Arkansas,  Eastern  Texas,  Western  Louisiana  and  Indian 
Territory ;  J.  S.  Powers,  general  missionary,  Texas  and  Indian 
Territory. 

EVANGELISTIC  WORK. 

J.  L.  Hufifman,  missionary  evangelist,  labored  in  Nebras- 
ka, South  Dakota,  Illinois,  Ohio,  Wisconsin,  West  Virginia. 
E.  B.  Saunders  under  the  Missionary  Board  and  Young 


39^  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

People's  Societies,  assisted  by  T.  J.  Van  Horn,  L.  C.  Randolph, 

D.  B.  Coon,  George  B.  Shaw  and  the  Milton  College  quartet, 
consisting  of  Charles  Sayre,  Alva  Van  Horn,  Eli  Loofboro, 
Fred  Whitford,  labored  in  Nebraska,  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  Ohio, 
Minnesota,  Illinois  and  at  Alfred  Center  and  Alfred  Station, 
N.  Y. 

J.  J.  White  labored  under  the  employment  of  the  Board 
as  a  missionary  evangelist  in  Rhode  Island,  with  the  First  and 
Second  Hopkinton  churches,  and  the  Berlin  church,  N.  Y. 

THE  SOUTHERN  FIELD. 

Under  voluntary  missionary  work  by  pastors.  Pastor  S. 
H.  Babcock,  Albion,  Wis.,  and  Pastor  George  W.  Hills,  Mil- 
ton Junction,  Wis.,  performed  missionary  labor  together  in 
North  Carolina,  with  and  near  the  Cumberland  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Church  for  the  month  of  November.     Secretaries  A. 

E.  Main  and  L.  E.  Livermore  on  their  way  to  the  Southwestern 
Association,  in  November,  visited  our  brethren  in  North  Caro- 
lina, and  ordained  D.  N.  Newton  to  the  gospel  ministry,  who 
became  the  pastor  of  the  Cumberland  Seventh-day  Baptist 
church. 

On  their  return  from  the  Southwestern  Association,  Sec- 
retaries A.  E.  Main  and  L.  E.  Livermore  visited  the  Alabama 
field  and  reorganized  the  Flatswood  church  as  the  Seventh-day 
Baptist  church  of  Attalla,  Etowah  County,  Ala.  They  ordain- 
ed R.  S.  Wilson  as  minister  and  pastor  of  the  church.  They 
also  visited  our  little  church  at  Shepherdsville,  Ky. 

Brother  Charles  Potter,  of  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  taking  a  deep 
interest  in  this  Southern  field,  made  an  offer  to  the  Board  to 
support  two  missionaries  on  said  field  if  such  should  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  Board  The  Board  accepted  the  ofifer  and  se- 
cured as  general  missionary  in  the  Alabama  and  North  Caro- 
lina field  the  Rev.  George  W.  Hills,  of  Milton  Junction,  Wis., 
who  is  to  commence  his  labors  October  i,  1893,  to  be  located 
at  Attalla,  Ala.,  and  the  Rev.  T.  J.  Van  Horn,  late  graduate  of 
the  Theological  Department  of  the  Chicago  University,  as  gen- 
eral missionary  of  the  Southern  Illinois  and  Kentcky  field, 
who  commenced  his  labors  June  i,  1893,  with  headquarters  at 
Stone  Fort,  111. 


MRS.  LUCY  (;ri-:i-:xi<:  i-itz  raxdolimi. 

See     Biugrapli'cal    Sketches,    p-   1361. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  397 

DENOMINATIONAL    EXHIBIT    AT    THE    COLUMBIAN    EXPOSITION. 

In  the  reports  of  1891  and  '92,  it  will  be  found  that  initia- 
tory steps  were  taken  by  the  Missionary  Board  and  after  much 
but  successful  correspondence  with  the  proper  authorities  by 
Secretary  Main,  it  was  recommended  at  our  last  anniversary 
that  the  General  Conference  appoint  a  committee  on  denomina- 
tional representation  and  exhibit  at  the  World's  Fair.  An 
able  and  representative  committee  was  appointed  by  the  Con- 
ference last  year.  That  committee  did  its  work  well,  so  that 
if  we  have  not  the  largest  denominational  exhibit  at  the  fair 
we  have  at  least  a  unique  and  complete  one.  It  attracts  atten- 
tion and  is  well  visited. 

THE  EVANGEL  AND  SABBATH  OUTLOOK. 

The  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  desiring  to  publish 
a  paper  that  would  associate  evangelistic  work  with  Sabbath 
Reform  work,  an  arrangement  was  entered  into  by  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  to  aid  them  in  the  publication  of  such  a  paper 
by  furnishing  an  editor  for  its  evangelistic  department.  The 
Missionary  Board  obtained  the  services  of  the  Rev.  F.  E. 
Peterson,  pastor  of  the  Piscataway  church,  New  Market,  N.  J., 
as  said  editor.  The  first  number  of  the  Evangel  and  Sab- 
bath Outlook  was  issued  June  i,  1893,  under  the  editorship  of 
the  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  F.  E.  Peterson. 

THE   CORRESPONDING  SECRETARYSHIP. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary,  A.  E.  Main,  having  accept- 
ed the  call  to  the  Presidency  of  Alfred  University,  tendered  his 
resignation  at  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers 
held  April  19,  1893.  His  resignation  was  accepted  and  to  take 
effect  upon  the  appointment  of  his  successor.  At  a  special 
meeting  of  the  Board  held  in  June,  1893,  the  Board  appointed 
the  Rev.  L.  A.  Platts  Corresponding  Secretary  to  succeed  Mr. 
Main,  which  appointment  he  accepted  to  enter  upon  his  duties, 
July   I,   1893.' 

The  Trustees  of  Alfred  University  being  unwilling  to  re- 
lease Mr.  Platts  from  the  chair  of  Church  History  and  Homi- 
Ictics,  he  withdrew  by  the  consent  of  the  Board  from  the  Sec- 
retaryship July  5,  1893. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  held  July  5,  1893,  the 
Board  extended  a  call  to  the  Rev.  O.  U.  Whitford  to  become 


39^  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Corresponding-  Secretary,  which  he  accepted  and  entered  upon 
his  duties  July  20,  1893. 

Rev.  A.  E.  Main  served  the  society  as  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary from  July  12,  1876,  to  July  20,  1893,  17  years,  with 
great  fidelity,  ability  and  success. 

SUMMARY    FOR   THE    YEAR. 

Thirty-four  workers  on  the  home  field  in  25  States  and 
Territories,  aggregating  nearly  15  years  of  labor;  2,428  dis- 
courses; 4,877  visits;  38,342  pages  of  tracts,  and  449  papers 
distributed ;  added  to  the  churches,  402,332  by  baptism ;  25 
converts  to  the  Sabbath ;  3  churches,  6  Bible  schools  and  2  En- 
deavor Societies  organized,  i  church  reorganized,  some  30  or 
more  converts  joined  other  denominations. 

FINANCES. 

Total    receipts,    including   loans $26,188  40 

Total  expenditures,  including  payment  of  loans  and 

interest    24,111  96 

Balance  in  treasury  Aug.  i,  1893 $  2,076  44 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Rev.  Joseph  W.  Morton,  born  near  Rose  Point,  Lawrence 
County,  Pa.,  January  3,  1821,  died  in  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  at  the 
home  of  his  daughters,  July  27,  1893.  Mr.  Morton  was  an 
able  writer,  a  fine  scholar,  and  a  consecrated  Christian  man 
jind  minister  of  the  gospel.  For  seven  years  he  was  under  the 
employment  of  the  Missionary  Board  as  g"eneral  missionary  in 
the  Northwest  with  headquarters  at  Chicago,  111.,  and  "proved 
most  efficient  in  the  service,  undertaking  long  journeys,  some- 
times on  foot,  with  a  courage  and  endurance  that  but  few 
younger  men  could  be  found  to  manifest." 

Geo.  H.  Babcock  was  born  at  Unadilla  Forks,  N.  Y.,  June 
17,  1832,  and  died  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  December  16,  1893.  Mr. 
Babcock  began  life  poor  and  died  a  millionaire.  He  was  a 
strong  denominational  man,  took  a  deep  interest  in  all  lines 
of  work  of  the  denomination  both  as  a  worker  and  in  generous 
benefactions.  Mr.  Babcock  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Managers  of  the  Missionary  Society  for  twelve  years.  He 
had  a  warm  missionary  spirit,  interested  in  mission  work  at 
home  and  on  the  foreign  field,  and  was  especially  interested  in 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  399 

the  frontier  work  on  the  home  fields,  and  in  his  various  large 
bequests  he  remembered  generously  the  small  struggling 
churches. 

1894. 

In  1894  the  fifty-second  annual  session  of  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with 
the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Brookfield, 
N.  Y,.  August  i6th.     President  William  L.  Clarke  in  the  chair. 

On  the  foreign  field,  in  China,  the  workers  during  the 
year  have  been  Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  wife.  Dr.  Ella  F.  Swin- 
ney.  Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick  and  native  preachers,  teachers  and 
other  helpers.  Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney  returned  to  China  after  a 
stay  of  six  months  in  the  home  land,  visiting  her  aged  mother 
and  her  brothers  and  the  churches  as  much  as  she  could.  She 
sailed  from  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  in  the  steamer  Oceanic  on 
December  31,  1893,  and  arrived  at  Shanghai  January  30,  1894. 
Dr.  Swinney  needing  in  her  work  very  much  an  assistant,  a 
call  was  extended  to  Miss  Rosa  W.  Palmborg,  of  the  West 
Hallock  church,  111.,  to  become  Dr.  Swinney's  assistant  in  the 
medical  mission,  which  she  accepted.  She  entered  Hahnemann 
Medical  College  and  Hospital,  Chicago,  and  completed  her 
medical  course  April  5,  1894.  During  the  summer  and  early 
autumn  she  further  pursued  studies  in  New  York  City  to  more 
fully  prepare  herself  for  her  work.  At  a  regular  meeting  of 
the  Missionary  Board  held  April  18,  1894,  the  Board  voted  as 
follows :  That  it  is  the  mind  of  this  Board  that  Dr.  Rosa  W. 
Palmborg  go  to  China  on  or  before  November  i,  1894,  as  the 
assistant  of  Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney  in  the  medical  mission,  at  a 
salary  of  $600  a  year. 

Dr.  Palmborg  accepted  the  time  desired  for  her  going  and 
commenced  preparing  to  set  sail  for  Shanghai  the  latter  part 
of  October,  1894.  At  the  anniversary  of  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety, August  16,  1894,  she  was  set  apart  for  that  work  by  ap- 
propriate consecratory  services. 

IN   MEMORIAM. 

Rev.  Nathan  Wardner,  D.  D.,  born  in  Wheatland,  Mon- 
roe County,  N.  Y.,  April  12,  1820,  died  at  his  home  in  Milton 
Junction,  Wis.,  April  6,  1894.  He  was  a  strong,  logical 
thinker,  a  good  scholar,  a  most  able  advocate  of  the  Sabbath 


400  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

of  the  Bible.  He  and  his  wife  were  pioneer  missionaries  with 
Rev.  Solomon  Carpenter  and  wife  of  our  denomination  in 
China.  His  last  days  were  spent  as  a  missionary  pastor  over 
a  small  church.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Alissionary  Board 
of  Managers  fourteen  years.  "Mr.  Wardner  began  his  pub- 
lic work  in  the  ministry  as  a  missionary  and  ended  it  in  the 
same  way." 

HOLLAND. 

Advancement  was  made  in  our  Holland  mission  during 
the  year.  A  church  was  organized  in  Amsterdam  as  a  branch 
of  the  Haarlem  church,  and  we  have  a  neat  little  chapel  there. 
Miss  Maria  Van  der  Steur,  who  was  employed  last  year  as  a 
city  missionary  in  Haarlem,  went  to  the  assistance  of  her 
brother,  a  missionary  at  Magelang,  Java.  Brother  J.  F.  Bak- 
ker  has  continued  his  work  in  Rotterdam. 

LU'  I:  :ui^.sio.v-. 

The  work  and  workers  on  the  home  fields  have  been  much 
the  same  as  last  year.  On  the  Southern  field  the  Rev.  George 
W.  Hills  labored  as  general  missionary  and  evangelist,  located 
at  Atalla,  Ala.  His  work  has  been  largely  of  the  evangelistic 
order.  Labored  in  Alabama,  Georgia,  North  Carolina,  Flori- 
da and  Tennessee.     He  used  a  tent  in  his  work. 

Brother  E.  D.  Richmond,  of  Coloma,  Wis.,  a  sweet  singer, 
assisted  him  a  few  months,  giving  his  time,  the  Board  paying 
his  traveling  expenses.  The  Board  secured  the  services  of 
Mr,  T.  B.  Burdick,  of  Little  Genesee,  N.  Y.,  to  go  with  Mr. 
Hills  as  singer  and  helper,  and  they  successfully  carried  on  gos- 
pel tent  work  the  larger  part  of  the  year.  The  Rev.  T.  J.  Van 
Horn  labored  with  energy,  fidelity  and  with  success  as  a  gen- 
eral missionary  in  another  part  of  the  Southern  field,  namely, 
Southern  Blinois  and  Kentucky. 

THE    EVANGELISTIC    WORK. 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Missionary  Society  took 
the  following  action  upon  the  evangelistic  work  at  its  regular 
meeting  held  October  i8,  1893:  In  view  of  the  great  need  of 
evangelistic  work  among  our  people,  and  of  the  success  which 
has  attended  our  efforts  in  that  direction  during  the  current 
vear, 
(25) 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETY.  4OI 

Resolved,  That  the  Rev.  O.  U.  Whitford,  the  Rev.  W.  C. 
Daland  and  George  B.  Carpenter  be  and  hereby  are  appointed 
a  committee  to  have  charge  of  the  evangehstic  work  for  the 
year  1894  with  authority  to  employ  such  person  or  persons  for 
the  prosecution  of  said  work  as  may  accompHsh  the  greatest 
good  with  the  men  and  means  in  their  hands.  They  shall 
have  the  authority  to  make  such  changes  in  the  personnel  of 
the  workers  as  may  to  them  seem  wise,  but  in  no  case  shall 
they  exceed  in  their  expenditure  the  amount  appropriated  by 
this  Board. 

The  Board  appropriated  $1,300  for  evangelistic  work  for 
the  year  1894.  It  afterwards  gave  authority  to  the  committee 
to  pay  all  workers  and  all  expenses  connected  with  the  work 
and  draw  upon  the  Treasurer  of  the  society  for  the  money  need- 
ed to  pay  the  bills.  The  evangelistic  work  for  the  remainder  of 
the  year  1893  was  also  put  under  their  charge.  The  commit- 
tee employed  Mr.  E.  B.  Saunders,  of  Milton,  Wis.,  and  the 
Rev.  L.  C.  Randolph,  of  Chicago,  111.,  to  labor  as  evangelists 
as  much  time  during  the  year  as  they  could  give  to  the  work. 
They  labored  as  evangelists  in  Illinois,  New  York  and  Rhode 
Island.  They  were  assisted  by  other  workers,  especially  dur- 
ing the  summer  vacation  by  evangelistic  quartets  from  our 
schools.  A  brief  summary  of  the  evangelistic  work  shows : 
Thirteen  workers  as  evangelists  and  singers ;  600  conversions ; 
185  united  with  our  churches  by  baptism ;  30  by  letter  and  tes- 
timony; 315  joined  other  churches;  no  reclaimed,  and  25  con- 
verts to  the  Sabbath. 

1895. 

The  fifty-third  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  August 
22nd. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Rev.  William  M.  Jones,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  Fort  Ann, 
Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  May  2,  1818;  died  in  London, 
England,  Fel)ruary  22,  1895.  He  was  missionary  in  Palestine 
nearly  six  years,  under  the  Missionary  Society.  He  succeed- 
ed the  Rev.  W.  H.  Black,  D.  D.,  in  1872  as  pastor  of  the  Mill 
Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  London,  England. 


402  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

Rev.  Joshua  Clarke,  born  in  Erookfield,  N.  Y.,  Novem- 
ber 22,  1822,  died  in  Verona,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  February 
9,  1895.  H^  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
Missionary  Society  eighteen  years,  and  labored  at  different 
times  as  a  general  missionary  in  the  home  field. 

Rev.  Darwin  E.  Maxson,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Plainfield,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  September  15,  1822,  and 
died  at  his  home  in  Alfred  N.  Y.,  February  22,  1895.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety ten  years  and  always  took  a  deep  interest  in  all  our  mis- 
sions. 

CHINA    MISSION. 

Dr.  Rosa  W.  Palmborg  left  New  York  for  China  Novem- 
ber 4,  1894,  and  embarked  on  the  steamship  "Empress  of 
Japan"  at  Vancouver,  B.  C,  November  12th,  for  Shanghai, 
where  she  arrived  December  i,  1894.  She  was  met  at  the 
landing  by  all  our  workers,  and  most  joyfully  received.  She 
began  at  once  with  zeal  the  study  of  the  Chinese  language, 
making  good  progress  in  it,  and  is  enthusiastic  in  her  work. 

Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney  had  an  attack  of  influenza  the  latter 
part  of  April,  1895,  which  resulted  in  pleuro-pneumonia.  For 
a  few  weeks  it  was  thought  she  could  not  recover.  With  the 
best  of  medical  attendance,  a  surgical  operation,  and  excellent 
nursing,  she  began  to  get  better,  but  new  difficulties  set  in 
which-  baffled  the  skill  of  the  physicians.  They  decided  that 
the  only  chance  for  her  final  recovery  and  restoration  to  health 
and  strength  was  to  return  to  her  native  land.  Accordingly 
she  embarked  at  Shanghai  for  the  home  land  on  Sabbath  even- 
ing, July  6,  1895,  accompanied  by  Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick. 
They  arrived  in  San  Francisco  August  ist.  Dr.  Swinney  was 
much  improved  by  the  voyage,  the  sea  air  proving  very  bene- 
ficial. After  a  week's  rest  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Lizzie  Nelson 
Fryer,  in  Oakland,  Cal.,  she  resumed  her  journey,  stopping  a 
short  time  in  Chicago  for  rest,  and  is  now  with  her  aged 
mother  and  her  brother.  Dr.  C.  O.  Swinney,  in  Smyrna,  Del, 
in  a  very  hopeful  condition. 

HOLLAND. 

Rev.  F.  J.  Bakker  is  the  earnest  and  faithful  pastor  of  the 
Rotterdam  church.     Mr.  John  Van  der  Steur  and  his  sister, 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  403 

Maria  Van  der  Steur,  formerly  workers  in  Haarlem  and  mem- 
bers of  our  church  there,  are  engaged  in  mission  work  in  Mag- 
elang,  Java. 

Rev.  G.  Velthuysen,  Sr.,  is  still  doing  grand  work  at  Haar- 
lem, Amsterdam  and  other  places  in  Holland. 

ENGLAND.  , 

The  Mill  Yard  church,  London,  upon  the  death  of  their 
pastor,  the  Rev.  William  M.  Jones,  D.  D.,  sent  a  statement  of 
their  financial  condition  and  the  need  of  a  pastor  and  petitioned 
the  Missionary  Society  to  send  them  a  suitable  person  for  a 
pastor,  or  aid  them  in  the  support  of  one.  The  Board  sent  the 
Rev.  W.  C.  Daland,  the  Recording  Secretary  of  the  Society, 
to  London  last  May  to  investigate  the  religious  and  spiritual 
condition  of  the  church,  and  the  outlook  for  building  up  a  suc- 
cessful working  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  in  London.  He 
returned  in  July  and  gave  to  the  Board  a  thorough  report.  This 
report  was  published  in  The  Recorder  of  August  i,  1895.  In 
the  report  Mr.  Daland  gave  the  following  recommendation  to 
the  Board:  "That  if  the  Missionary  Society  can  see  its  way 
clear  to  do  it,  they  send  them  a  missionary  pastor  suited  to  their 
needs  for  the  space  of  three  years.  That  would  be  a  time  long 
enough  to  see  what  can  be  done.  Les^  than  that  I  do  not  ad- 
vise." This  recommendation  was,  by  vote,  referred  to  a  com- 
mittee of  three  for  consideration,  to  report  at  the  next  regu- 
lar Board  meeting  to  be  held  in  October. 

HOME  MISSIONS — THE  EVANGELISTIC  WORK. 

The  evangelistic  committee  of  the  Missionary  Board  em- 
ployed Evangelist  E.  B.  Saunders  the  entire  year ;  Rev.  J.  L. 
Huffman  six  months ;  Rev.  L.  C.  Randolph  as  much  time  as 
he  could  give  to  the  work,  not  to  exceed  six  months.  These 
evangelists  were  assisted  by  others,  and  by  quartets. 

The  summary  of  the  evangelistic  work  is  as  follows :  Four 
evangelists,  9  singers  and  helpers,  equaling  2^  years  in  all  of 
labor;  held  evangelistic  meetings  in  17  of  our  churches,  in 
three  of  our  associations ;  665  conversions ;  200  wanderers  re- 
claimed;  added  to  our  churches  by  baptism  178;  by  letter  and 
experience  65;  joined  other  churches  97;  converts  to  the  Sab- 
bath 36. 

The   home   mission   work   this   vear   was   more   extensive 


404  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

than  last  year  and  the  results  under  the  blessing  of  God  have 
been  good.  Thirty-six  workers  in  24  States  and  i  Territory 
report  1,102  weeks,  or  21  years  and  10  months  of  labor;  2,884 
sermons ;  4,  852  visits ;  89.746  pages  of  tracts,  and  1,876  papers 
distributed;  314  additions,  216  by  baptism,  42  converts  to  the 
Sabbath ;  2  churches  organized,  i  in  Tennessee,  i  in  Kentucky ; 
also  2  Bible  schools  and  4  Christian  Endeavor  Societies. 

FINANCES. 

Total  receipts  from  all  sources,  including  loan.  ..  .$19,675  17 
Balance  in  treasury  August  i,  1894 61  51 


$19,736  68 
Total  expenditures,  including  payment  of  loans.  .  .$19,059  31 


Balance  in  treasury  August  i,  1895 $      677  ^iJ 

Outstanding  notes  August   i,   1895 1,000  00 


$      322  63 
1896. 

The  fifty-fourth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  August  20th. 
George  B.  Carpenter  presided. 

CHINA  MISSION. 

The  laborers  on  the  China  field  the  past  year  have  been 
Rev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  wife.  Dr.  Rosa  W.  Palmborg  and  native 
helpers. 

Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney  soon  after  her  return  to  the  home 
land  went  to  Walter's  Sanitarium,  Wernersville,  Pa.,  for  treat- 
ment and  recovery  of  health,  the  Board  bearing  the  expense. 
She  remained  there  several  months,  greatly  improving  in  health 
and  strength.  She  has  spent  the  most  of  her  time  with  her  in- 
valid mother  in  Smyrna,  Del.,  lovingly  and  faithfully  minis- 
tering to  her  in  her  old  age  and  failing  strength.  Dr.  Swin- 
ney's  full  recovery  of  health  and  usual  strength  seems  to  be 
assured.  She  expects  to  return  to  China,  but  not  this  year. 
Miss  Burdick  has  been  during  the  year  at  her  home  in  Al- 
fred, N.  Y.  She  expects  to  return  to  China  some  time  the  com- 
ing: autumn. 


MISSIOXARY   SOCIETY.  405 

There  have  been  added  to  the  Shanghai  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist church  7  members,  making  the  present  membership  38. 

HOLLAND. 

Rev.  G.  A^elthuysen,  Sr.,  is  the  pastor  of  the  Haarlem 
church  and  of  the  branch  church  at  Amsterdam ;  and  the  Rev. 
F.  J.  Bakker  of  the  Rotterdam  church.  Mr.  VeUhuysen,  Sr., 
has  engaged  in  a  new  plan  of  work  on  his  field.  He  is  using 
a  gospel  wagon,  covered,  having  printed  on  its  sides  Scripture 
passages,  appropriate  mottoes,  etc.,  a  sort  of  a  gospel  Sabbath 
Reform,  and  general  reform  advertising  wagon,  in  which  he 
goes  about  and  speaks  from  it  to  the  people.  In  this  way  he 
gets  a  good  gathering  and  as  a  rule  an  attentive  hearing  of  the 
truths  he  presents.  In  Magelang,  Java,  John  Van  der  Steur 
and  his  sister,  Maria,  still  continue  their  mission,  consisting  of 
a  home  and  school  for  poor  children,  and  missionary  and  so- 
cial purity  work  among  the  soldiers.  They  are  supported  by 
the  voluntary  contributions  of  God's  people.  Some  of  our 
young  people  are  interested  in  their  work  and  have  contributed 
liberally  toward  their  support. 

ENGLAND. 

The  matter  of  sending  a  missionary  pastor  to  the  Mill 
Yard  church,  London,  was  laid  before  the  people  at  the  last  an- 
niversary of  the  society  and  at  the  Conference  in  an  informal 
way.  No  formal  action  was  taken,  though  many  expressed 
the  judgment  that  something  should  be  done  for  this  old 
mother  church.  After  much  deliberation,  council  and  prayer, 
the  Board,  at  a  meeting  held  October  20,  1895,  voted  to  send 
a  missionary  pastor  to  serve  the  Mill  Yard  church,  of  London. 
England,  according  to  their  request,  for  the  term  of  three 
years.  It  was  voted  that  the  Board  ask  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Daland 
to  fill  that  place,  and  that  the  salary  of  the  missionary  pastor 
be  $1,200.  and  the  expense  of  transportation  to  London,  all 
receipts  on  the  field  to  be  reported  to  the  Treasurer.  Mr.  Da- 
land  accepted  the  call  of  the  Board,  to  take  eflfect  INIay  ist. 
1896,  and  the  following  arrangements  were  made  with  the  ]\Iill 
Yard  church:  (i)  The  Mill  Yard  church  on  January  4.  1896. 
by  unanimous  vote,  extended  a  formal  call  to  the  Rev.  W.  C. 
Daland  to  become  their  pastor.  (2)  It  unanimously  voted 
to  pay  annually  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Missionary  Society  such 


406  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

a  yam  of  money  as  it  can  raise  in  lieu  of  pastor's  salary.  Mr. 
L'Hland  accepted  the  formal  call  of  the  Mill  Yard  church.  He 
sailed  with  his  family  from  New  York  City  May  9,  1896,  for 
!ns  field  of  labor,  and  arrived  there  May  20,  1896,  and  received 
a  most  hearty  welcome.  He  settled  in  a  home  at  once  and 
commenced  his  work.  He  reports  a  good  attendance  of  the 
membership  on  Sabbath  service,  and  at  every  service  thus  far 
strangers  have  been  present.  Mr.  Daland  is  in  London  not 
merely  as  the  missionary  pastor  of  Mill  Yard  church,  but  to 
represent  our  cause  in  Great  Britain  and  Europe  as  far  as  he 
can,  and  to  engage  in  evangelistic  work  as  much  as  practica- 
ble and  advisable,  and  to  put  himself  in  touch  with  all  Sab- 
bath-keepers and  those  interested  in  Sabbath  truth. 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

The  workers  on  the  home  fields  as  missionary  pastors, 
missionaries,  evangelists  and  quartet  singers,  during  the  year, 
were:  Horace  Stillman,  A.  E.  Main,  L.  D.  Seager,  O.  S. 
Mills,  U.  M.  Babcock,  Perie  R.  Burdick,  M.  B.  Kelly,  Jr.,  A. 
Lawrence,  H.  L.  Jones,  D.  Burdett  Coon,  A.  G.  Crofoot,  E.  H. 
Socwell,  S.  R.  Wheeler,  D.  K.  Davis,  W.  D.  Burdick,  L.  F. 
Skaggs,  S.  L  Lee,  George  W.  Lewis,  R.  S.  Wilson,  C.  W. 
Threlkeld,  D.  N.  Newton,  E.  B.  Saunders,  T.  J.  Van  Horn, 
J.  L.  Hufifman,  L.  C.  Randolph,  George  W.  Hills,  S.  H.  Bab- 
cock, L.  R.  Swinney,  J.  H.  Hurley,  Alva  Van  Horn,  A.  E. 
VxHiitford,  Walter  Greene,  E.  A.  Witter. 

THE   LOUISVILLE,    KY.,    WORK. 

The  Rev.  T.  J.  Van  Horn  learned  of  some  Sab- 
bath-keepers in  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  by  their  invitation  visited 
them  in  March,  1895.  The  result  of  this  visit  was,  he  organ- 
ized a  church  there  April  2,  1895.  The  brethren  in  Louisville 
and  Mr.  Van  Horn,  because  of  the  interest  in  the  Sabbath 
truth  and  evangelistic  work  in  that  city,  advocated  that  gospel 
tent  work  should  be  carried  on  there  during  the  summer,  and 
an  appeal  to  the  Tract  and  Missionary  Boards  to  inaugurate 
and  support  the  work.  It  resulted  in  the  purchase  of  a  tent 
and  starting  gospel  tent  work  in  Louisville  by  the  two  socie- 
ties. The  tent  was  set  up  and  the  first  meeting  was  held  in  it 
on  the  evening  of  June  19,  1895,  with  Brother  Van  Horn  as 
conductor,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  E.  A.  Witter,  pastor  of  the  Al- 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  40J 

bion  church,  Wis.  Mr.  Witter  labored  with  ]\Ir.  \an  Horn 
nearly  three  weeks,  then  returned  home.  The  meetings  in- 
creased in  interest,  and  the  Rev.  L.  C.  Randolph,  of  Chicago, 
was  sent  to  the  aid  of  Mr.  Van  Horn.  The  tent  was  not  set 
up  in  the  most  favorable  place,  and  it  was  moved  to  a  more 
desirable  place  in  the  city,  and  the  brethren.  Van  Horn  and 
Randolph,  were  assisted  by  Alva  Van  Horn,  A.  E.  Whitford 
and  W.  D.  Burdick  in  quartet  gospel  singing.  The  attend- 
ance increased,  became  large,  interest  grew ;  there  was  the 
manifest  presence  and  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Souls  were 
converted,  wanderers  were  reclaimed,  and  an  enthusiastic  feel- 
ing and  activity  aroused  in  many  to  do  evangelistic  work  in 
the  city.  The  tent  meetings  continued  to  October  i,  1895,  and 
then  closed  because  of  the  season  and  weather,  with  sermons 
upon  the  Sabbath  question  by  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis,  which  were 
powerful  and  convincing.  The  gospel  meetings  were  con- 
tinued in  suitable  rooms  rented  by  interested  parties,  conduct- 
ed by  Mr.  Van  Horn,  assisted  for  awhile  by  L.  C.  Randolph, 
and  upon  his  going  to  another  field,  Dr.  A.  E.  Main  was  sent 
to  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Van  Horn,  remaining  over  a  month 
Vvith  him. 

This  field  was  visited  also  by  members  of  the  Evangelistic 
Committee.  The  outcome  of  this  gospel  tent  work  was  as 
follows : 

1.  Ten  or  more  persons  were  known  to  have  found 
Christ  as  their  Saviour,  many  wanderers  were  reclaimed,  a 
large  number  of  Christian  people  were  quickened  to  higher 
spiritual  life  and  greater  spiritual  activity. 

2.  Four  persons  came  to  the  Sabbath  and  joined  our 
church  in  Louisville,  two  by  baptism,  two  by  experience,  and 
others  are  studying  the  Sabbath  question  with  interest  and 
candor. 

3.  Our  people,  through  this  tent  work  and  its  workers, 
are  more  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Louisville.  It  brought 
to  the  people  of  Louisville  a  favorable  impression  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  evangelistic  spirit,  the  loyalty  to  truth  and  Bible 
teachings,  the  character,  intelligence,  purpose  and  work  of 
Seventh-day  Baptists. 

4.  This  gospel  tent  work  resulted  in  some  forty  persons 
united  together  with  a  desire  to  be  led  in  organized  Christiani- 


408  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

ty,  evangelistic  and  philanthropic  work  in  that  city.  Most  of 
them  are  young  or  middle  aged,  a  good  class  of  people,  repre- 
senting five  or  six  evangelical  denominations.  They  first  la- 
bored together  under  the  name  of  "Workers  Gospel  Mission," 
but  were  afterward  reorganized  by  Dr.  Main,  at  their  request, 
upon  a  basis  of  rules  and  regulations  under  the  name  of 
''Christian  Workers'  Union."  A  Mr.  McDowell  was  elected 
president,  and  other  necessary  officers  chosen.  Mr.  Van  Horn 
vv^as  unanimously  chosen  as  their  preacher,  teacher  and  leader. 
Their  work  was  evangelistic  and  philanthropic.  They  main- 
tained a  good  and  interesting  Sunday-school.  A  sewing 
school  for  poor  children  was  organized,  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed on  finances.  Services  were  held  every  Sunday,  and 
several  evenings  in  the  week.  Our  people  met  in  their  rooms 
on  the  Sabbath  and  held  a  Bible  class  and  other  religious  ser- 
vices. Mr.  Van  Horn  remained  as  leader  and  preacher  in  this 
work  during  the  winter  and  early  spring  of  1896.  In  April, 
1896,  because  of  Baptist  domination  in  the  "Union"  and  other 
reasons  Mr.  Van  Horn  under  the  direction  of  the  Missionary 
Board,  withdrew  from  the  leadership  and  the  work  in  the 
"Christian  Workers'  Union"  and  resumed  his  general  mission- 
ary work.  Our  interests  in  Louisville  became  a  part  of  the 
general  missionary  field  of  Kentucky  and  Southern  Illinois,  of 
which  Mr.  Van  Horn  is  the  general  missionary. 

The  workers  on  the  home  fields  labored  in  24  States  and 
I  Territory,  and  reports  1,183  weeks,  or  22%  years  of  labor; 
2,945  sermons;  1,501  prayer-meetings,  5,260  visits;  43,320 
pages  of  tracts  and  1,275  papers  distributed;  558  conversions; 
278  additions  to  the  churches,  225  by  baptism  and  53  by  let- 
ter or  experience ;  56  converts  to  the  Sabbath,  2  Bible  schools 
and  2  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  organized. 

FINANCES.     ' 

Mr.  Albert  L.  Chester,  after  serving  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety as  Treasurer  for  nearly  twelve  years  with  ability  and 
fidelity,  resigned  the  Treasurership  and  George  H.  Utter  was 
elected  Treasurer. 

The  Treasurer's  report  for  the  year  ending  July  31,  1896, 
shows  the  following: 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  409 

Balance,  cash  in  Treasury  August  i,  1895 $      677  XI 

Total  receipts  from  all  sources,  including  loan's ....   20,588  09 

Total    $21,265  46 

Total  expenditures,  including  payments  of  loans. .  .   21,196  41 

Balance,  cash  in  Treasury  August  i,  1896 $        69  05 

Outstanding  notes,  August  i,  1896 $  4,000  00 

Net  indebtedness    $  3)930  95 

1897. 

The  fifty-fifth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the  Seventh- 
dav  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Salem,  W.  Va.,  August  26, 
1897. 

George  B.  Carpenter  in  the  chair. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary,  O.  U.  Whitford,  presented 
the  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

IN  MEMORIAM. 

The  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman,  born  near  North  Hampton. 
Ohio,  August  22.  1837,  and  died  in  Farina,  111.,  March  31, 
1897.  He  labored  under  the  employment  of  the  Missionary 
Board  at  different  times  in  his  life  as  general  missionary  and 
as  evangelist.  He  was  one  of  our  ablest  and  most  successful 
evangelists  and  strongest  preachers.  Hundreds  were  gathered 
into  the  kingdom  of  Christ  through  his  labors. 

Deacon  Isaac  D.  Tits  worth,  born  in  Piscataway  Town- 
ship, Aliddlesex  County,  N.  J.,  June  13,  1805,  and  died  at  Dun- 
elien,  N.  J.,  May  15,  1897.  He  served  the  Missionary  Society 
as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers  for  thirteen  years.  He 
was  a  warm  friend  of  all  of  our  missions  and  gave  liberally  to- 
ward their  support.  He  made  himself  and  wnfe  and  all  his 
children  life  members  of  the  society. 

The  Rev.  James  N.  Belton,  born  in  Calhoun  County.  Ala- 
bama, October  20,  1861,  died  in  Attalla,  Ala.,  June  23,  1897. 
Mr.  Belton  was  a  convert  to  the  Sabbath,  coming  to  it  through 
the  influence  of  the  Sabb.ath  Outlook  and  of  the  Rev.  George 
W.  Hills,  the  general  missionary  on  the  Southern  field.  He 
engaged  under  the  employ  of  the  ]\Iissionary  Board  as  general 
missionary  and   evangelist  on   the   Southern  field,   succeeding 


4IO  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

the  Rev.  George  W.  Hills,  who  had  resigned  that  work  and 
had  accepted  the  pastorship  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church 
at  Nortonville,  Kan.  Mr.  Belton  lost'  his  life  by  a  fatal  acci- 
dent while  raising  the  centre  pole  of  the  gospel  tent  which  he 
and  others  were  erecting  in  Attalla,  Ala.  His  last  words  to 
his  brethren  were:     "Do  not  let  the  work  stop." 

CHINA. 

Workers  on  the  China  field  the  past  year:  The  Rev,  D. 
H.  Davis,  Dr.  Rosa  W.  Palmborg,  Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick, 
part  of  the  year,  and  native  preachers,  teachers  and  helpers. 
Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney,  of  the  medical  mission,  has  been  in  the 
home  land  during  the  year  and  has  recovered  her  health. 

Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick,  after  remaining  in  America  15 
months,  returned  to  her  school  work  in  Shanghai,  much  im- 
proved in  health  and  strength.  She  sailed  from  San  Francis- 
co December  19,  1896,  on  steamship  China,  and  arrived  at 
Shanghai  January  14,  1897. 

HOLLAND. 

The  same  workers  at  Haarlem  and  Rotterdam,  the  Rev. 
G.  Velthuysen,  Sr.,  and  the  Rev.  F.  J.  Bakker. 

ENGLAND, 

The  Rev.  W.  C.  Daland  has  been  the  missionary  pastor 
of  the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  during  the  year. 
The  Trustees  of  the  fund  from  the  sale  of  the  Mill  Yard 
church  property,  and  also  of  the  Kent  landed  estates,  all  of 
which  are  under  the  control  of  the  Court  of  Chancery,  have 
presented  to  the  Court  a  scheme  which  provides  for  the  build- 
ing of  a  chapel  in  which  scheme  they  do  not  give  or  deny  any 
rights  therein  to  our  people.  There  is  a  possibility  that  when 
a  chapel  is  built  some  use  of  it  may  be  granted  to  the  Mill 
Yard  church.  The  scheme  provides  a  small  sum  for  our  own 
use  annually  for  rent  or  other  purposes,  grants  nothing  for  the 
minister's  salary,  and  the  remainder  of  the  income  from  the 
fund  is  to  be  used  for  other  objects  in  no  way  connected  with 
our  people.  Mr.  Daland  and  the  Mill  Yard  church  have,  by 
appeals  and  interviews,  worked  diligently  and  faithfully  to  ob- 
tain their  rights.  This  scheme  is  not  yet  accepted,  modified, 
or  rejected  by  the  court ;  it  is  yet  to  be  acted  upon  and  time  will 
eventuallv  tell  the  result. 


J 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  4II 


HOME    MISSIONS. 


There  is  but  little  change  in  the  missionary  pastors  and 
general  missionaries  and  their  work  from  last  year.  The 
evangelistic  work  has  been  vmder  the  direction  and  authority 
of  the  Evangelistic  Committee,  O.  U.  Whitford,  George  B. 
Carpenter,  G.  J.  Crandall.  The  evangelists  employed  during 
the  year  and  part  of  the  year  were :  E.  B.  Saunders,  T.  J. 
Van  Horn,  George  W.  Hills,  J.  N.  Belton,  S.  H.  Babcock,  E. 
H.  Socwell,  J.  H.  Hurley,  L.  R.  Swinney  and  C.  W.  Thelkeld. 

On  the  home  fields  there  have  been  during  the  year  31 
workers,  in  21  States  and  i  Territory,  who  report  1,037  weeks, 
or  19  years  and  49  weeks  of  labor ;  2,208  sermons ;  958  prayer- 
meetings ;  4,364  visits;  55,126  pages  of  tracts  and  1,464  papers 
distributed;  160  additions  to  the  churches,  64  by  baptism,  96 
by  letter  and  verbal  statement ;  40  converts  to  the  Sabbath,  3 
churches  organized  and  3  Bible  schools  and  i  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E. 

THE   EVANGEL   AND   SABBATH    OUTLOOK. 

The  Missionary  Society  was  represented  in  this  paper  the 
first  half  of  the  year  by  the  Rev.  F.  E.  Peterson,  the  remainder 
of  the  year  by  Corresponding  Secretary  O.  U.  Whitford.  The 
publiciy:ion  of  the  paper  was  closed  June  17,  1897. 

FINANCES, 

Balance,  cash  in  Treasury  August  i,  1896 $        69  05 

Total  receipts  from  all  sources,  including  loans.  . .  .   27,166  79 

Total    %27,22>S  84 

Total  expenditures,  including  payment  of  loans.  . .  .   26,387  65 

Balance,  cash  in  Treasury  August  i,  1897 $      848  19 

Outstanding  notes  August   i,   1897 $  7-500  00 

Net   indebtedness    6,651  81 

Receipts  direct  from  the  people  for  missions  this  year  are 
$1,497.32  less  than  last  year.     Chief  cause,  hard  times. 

1898, 

The  fifty-sixth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  with  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tjst  General  Conference  at  Milton  Junction,  Wis.,  August  25, 
1898. 


412  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

George  B.  Carpenter  in  the  chair. 

O.  U.  Whitford,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

G.  J.   Crandall,   Recording  Secretary. 

CHINA. 

Rev.  D.  H.  Davis,  Dr.  Rosa  W.  Pahiiborg,  Miss  Susie  M. 
Burdick  and  native  helpers  are  the  laborers  on  the  China  field. 
Dr.  Ella  F.  Swinney,  the  head  of  our  medical  mission,  is  still 
in  the  home  land  with  her  aged,  invalid  mother. 

The  land  at  Lieu-oo,  given  and  deeded  by  Mrs.  Ng  and 
Dr.  Palmborg  for  the  use  of  the  China  mission,  is  not  used  as 
yet,  but  probably  will  be  soon  for  the  medical  mission.  Dur- 
ing the  year  one  of  the  members  of  the  Shanghai  church  was 
removed  by  death,  another  excommunicated.  Seven  have 
been  added  by  baptism  and  two  more  next  Sabbath  will  be 
baptized. 

HOLLAND. 

The  same  workers  as  last  year :  The  Rev.  G.  Velthuysen, 
Sr.,  and  the  Rev.  F.  J.  Bakker.  Brother  Velthuysen  has  edited 
De  Boodschapper  in  the  interests  of  Sabbath  Reform,  and  a 
temperance  paper  called  Christian  Total  Abstainer,  and  has 
lectured  on  baptism.  Sabbath  Reform,  temperance  and  social 
purity  in  different  parts  of  Holland.  He  used  the  gospel  wagon 
in  his  work  to  great  advantage.  There  had  been  added  to  the 
Haarlem  church  during  the  year  i  by  baptism,  i  by  letter ;  dis- 
missed by  letter  2,  ex-communicated  2,  net  loss  2,  total  mem- 
bership 46.  At  Rotterdam  Brother  Bakker  has  had  the  pas- 
toral care  of  the  little  church  and  has  labored  in  mission  work 
faithfully  among  the  emigrants  and  sailors  that  come  to  and 
go  from  Rotterdam,  and  also  among  the  poor  of  the  city. 

ENGLAND. 

The  Rev.  W.  C.  Daland  has  been  faithful  and  energetic 
in  his  labors  as  pastor  of  the  Mill  Yard  church.  The  church 
itself  is  taking  higher  ground  and  greater  activity  in  church 
work.  There  is  now  a  more  favorable  prospect  of  the  Alill 
Yard  church  obtaining  something  from  funds  now  in  the  Court 
of  Chancery,  yet  the  whole  question  is  problematical. 

HOME    MISSIONS. 

Missionary  pastors:  In  the  Eastern  Association,  N.  M. 
Mills,  Horace  Stillman ;  Southeastern  Association,  L.  D.  Sea- 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  4I3 

ger,  D.  C.  Lippincott ;  Central  Association,  O.  S.  Mills,  L.  M. 
Cottrell ;  Western  Association,  M.  B.  Kelly,  Jr.,  H.  L.  Jones ; 
Northwestern  Association,  E.  H.  Socwell,  S.  R.  Wheeler,  Eli 
F.  Loofboro,  A.  G.  Crofoot,  J.  T.  Davis,  W.  D.  Burdick,  L.  D. 
Burdick;  Southwestern  Association,  L.  F.  Skaggs,  S.  I.  Lee, 
George  W.  Lewis,  G.  M.  Cottrell ;  the  Southern  field,  R.  S. 
Wilson,  A.  P.  Ashurst,  D.  N.  Newton. 

General  Missionaries :  E.  H.  Socwell,  Iowa ;  L.  F. 
Skaggs,  Missouri  and  Indian  Territory ;  S.  I.  Lee,  Arkansas 
and  Texas ;  A.  P.  Ashurst,  Alabama. 

EVANGELISTIC  WORK. 

Evangelists :  E.  B.  Saunders,  S.  H.  Babcock,  D.  W. 
Leath,  J.  H.  Hurley,  L.  R.  Swinney,  L.  C.  Randolph.  Stu- 
dents of  Milton  College  who  labored  during  the  summer  va- 
cation in  evangelistic  and  quartet  work:  E.  A.  Babcock,  C. 
S.  Sayre,  R.  B.  Tolbert,  W.  Loofboro,  E.  D.  Van  Horn,  E.  B. 
Loofboro. 

SUMMARY. 

The  number  of  workers  and  the  work  done  on  the  mission 
and  evangelistic  fields,  both  foreign  and  home : 

In  China,  four  missionaries  and  nine  native  helpers.  In 
Holland,  two.  In  England,  one.  On  the  home  fields,  28 
workers  in  22  States  and  i  Territory;  941  weeks,  or  18  years 
and  5  weeks  of  labor;  1,956  sermons;  801  prayer-meetings;  3,- 
655  visits;  40,321  pag€s  of  tracts  and  572  papers  distriljuted ; 
230  conversions ;  198  additions  to  the  churches,  140  by  baptism, 
58  by  letter  and  verbal  statement ;  53  converts  to  the  Sabbath ; 
2  churches  and  3  Bible  schools  organized. 

FINANCES. 

Balance,  cash  in  Treasury  August  i,  1897 $      848  19 

Total  receipts  from  all  sources,  including  loans.  . .  .   30,441   ^3 

Total    $31,28932 

Total  expenditures,  including  payment  of  loans.  .   ^p.Z^J  26 

Balance,  cash  in  Treasury  August  i,  1898 $      962  06 

Outstanding  notes,  August  i,   1898 $  5,000  00 

Net  indebtedness    4,037  00 


414  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

1899. 

The  fifty-seventh  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  with  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
General  Conference  at  Ashaway,  R.  I.,  August  24th,  1899. 
President  William  L.  Clarke  in  the  chair. 
Annual  report  was  presented  by  George  H.  Utter,  Treas- 
urer, and  O.  U.  Whitford,  Corresponding  Secretary, 

CHINA. 

The  laborers  in  China  the  past  year  were  Rev.  D.  H. 
Davis  and  wife,  Dr.  Rosa  W.  Palmborg,  Miss  Susie  M,  Bur- 
dick  and  native  helpers, 

REINFORCEMENT, 

The  urgent  need  of  a  teacher  of  the  Boys'  Boarding 
School  in  our  China  mission  led  the  Missionary  Board  to  de- 
cide at  its  regular  meeting  held  October  19,  1898,  to  reinforce 
the  China  mission  with  a  teacher  as  soon  as  it  could  be  done. 
At  a  special  meeting  held  November  25,  1898,  a  call  was  ex- 
tended to  Mr,  Dighton  W,  Shaw,  of  Milton,  Wis,,  but  who  was 
at  the  time  pursuing  theological  studies  in  Alfred  University, 
to  go  to  China  as  teacher  of  the  Boys'  School,  He  accepted 
the  call  and  it  was  arranged  for  him  and  Miss  Gertrude  Camp- 
bell, to  whom  he  was  to  be  married,  to  sail  for  China  Septem- 
ber, 1899, 

In  January,  1899,  he  was  taken  sick  with  a  nervous  trouble 
and  returned  to  his  home  in  Milton,  Wis,  He  went  to  a  sani- 
tarium in  Palmyra,  Wis.,  but  did  not  improve.  While  there 
he  tendered,  March  30,  1899,  his  resignation  of  the  position 
to  which  he  had  been  called  and  had  accepted.  His  resigna- 
tion, in  view  of  his  never  being  able  to  go  to  China,  if  he  should 
recover,  was  accepted  at  the  regular  Board  meeting  held  April 
19,  1899,  Mr.  Shaw  was  removed  to  an  asylum  at  Mendota. 
Wis.,  but  gradually  grew  worse  in  body  and  mind,  and  died 
there  June  25,  1899.  At  a  Board  meeting  held  June  28th, 
1899,  prayer  was  offered  that  divine  comfort  and  support 
might  come  to  the  family  and  friends  of  Mr.  Shaw  in  their  be- 
reavement ;  and  a  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  express- 
ing the  deep  sense  of  loss  the  Board  felt  in  his  death,  and  ex- 
tending to  the  bereaved  family  its  warmest  sympathy. 

At  the  Board  meeting  in  which  the  resignation  of  Mr. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  415 

Shaw  was  accepted,  April  19,  1899,  a  call  was  extended  to  the 
Rev.  T.  J.  Van  Horn  to  go  to  China,  as  teacher  of  the  Boys' 
School.  After  a  careful  and  prayerful  consideration,  he  de- 
clined the  call.  At  a  special  Board  meeting,  held  June  28, 
1899,  a  call  was  extended  to  Mr.  Jay  W.  Crofoot,  of  Alfred, 
N.  Y.,  to  go  to  China  as  teacher,  which  he  accepted.  Mr.  Cro- 
foot and  his  wife  will  sail  for  Shanghai  about  the  middle  of 
September,  1899.  The  service  consecrating  Brother  Jay  W. 
Crofoot  as  teacher  of  the  Boys'  Boarding  School  at  Shanghai, 
China,  was  held  at  this  annual  session,  held  at  Ashaway.  The 
Rev.  J.  L.  Gamble,  of  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  in  eloquent  and  impres- 
sive words  addressed  the  people  and  the  candidate,  to  which 
Mr.  Crofoot  responded ;  his  earnestness  and  evident  sincerity 
making  a  marked  impression  upon  the  entire  assembly.  After 
a  song  by  the  Alfred  quartet,  the  consecrating  prayer  was  of- 
fered by  the  Rev.  A.  E.  Main,  of  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  with  the 
laying  on  of  hands  by  Dr.  Main,  William  L.  Clarke,  Presi- 
dent ;  Rev.  O.  U.  Whitford,  Corresponding  Secretary ;  Rev. 
A.  G.  Crofoot,  father  of  the  candidate,  and  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Gam- 
ble, his  pastor.  The  choir  sang,  "Lovest  Thou  Me?"  after 
which  the  meeting  closed  with  benediction  by  Pastor  Gamble. 

There  were  added  the  past  year  to  the  Shanghai  church 
eleven  members,  two  lost  by  death ;  present  membership, 
51.  Number  of  different  patients  attended  to  by  Dr.  Palm- 
borg,  of  the  medical  mission,  3,106;  number  of  prescriptions, 
5,928;  number  of  visits,  177;  number  of  in-patients,  18.  Pu- 
pils in  the  Girls'  Boarding  School,  18;  in  the  Boys'  Boarding 
School,  25 ;  in  the  four  day  schools,  122. 

ENGLAND. 

Our  interests  in  England  have  been  well  maintained  the 
past  year  by  the  energetic  and  faithful  labors  of  the  Rev.  W. 
C.  Daland.  The  Mill  Yard  church  has  grown  in  unity,  spirit- 
ual life  and  activity.  It  is  now  doing  its  best  work.  The 
three  years  for  which  Mr,  Daland  was  engaged  to  labor  in 
England  expired  May  i,  1899,  but  by  the  earnest  appeal  of  the 
Mill  Yard  church  and  the  wish  of  Mr.  Daland,  in  order  that 
some  favorable  interests  there  might  be  brought  to  a  success- 
ful issue,  the  Board  extended  his  stay  till  December  31,  1899. 


4l6  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

HOLLAND. 

The  Rev  G.  Velthuysen,  Sr.,  is  still  the  missionary  pastor 
of  the  Haarlem  church,  and  its  branch  at  Amsterdam,  and  Rev. 
F.  J.  Bakker  of  the  Rotterdam  church.  Brother  Velthuysen, 
because  of  physical  and  mental  disability,  had  to  give  up  his 
work  in  March  of  this  year,  and  has  not  been  able  since  to 
care  for  the  church  and  attend  to  his  editorial  duties.  One  of 
h.is  sons  and  a  deacon  of  the  Haarlem  church  have  conducted 
Sabbath  services  and  cared  for  the  parish.  G.  Velthuysen, 
Jr.,  has  edited  the  Boodschapper.  The  gospel  wagon  manned 
by  a  good  worker,  has  been  on  the  road  during  the  year,  doing 
good  work  in  the  interest  of  the  gospel,  temperance  and  Sab- 
bath Reform.  Mr.  Velthuysen's  annual  report  was  prepared 
and  sent  to  the  Board  by  his  son,  Peter  Velthuysen. 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

I.  MISSIONARY    PASTORATES. 

There  have  been  the  following  churches  aided  the  past 
year  in  the  support  of  pastors :  First  and  Second  Westerly 
churches,  Rhode  Island,  the  Rev.  N.  M.  Mills  pastor  of  the 
First,  Rev.  Horace  Stillman  of  the  Second ;  Salemville,  Pa., 
Rev.  D.  C.  Lippincott,  pastor;  Ritchie  church.  West  A'irginia, 
Rev.  L.  D.  Seager,  half  year.  Rev.  R.  G.  Davis,  half  of  the 
year ;  Cumberland  church.  North  Carolina,  Rev.  D.  N.  New- 
ton ;  Lincklaen  and  Otselic,  New  York,  Rev,  J.  E.  N.  Backus ; 
Hornellsville  and  Hartsville  churches,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  M.  B.  Kel- 
ly part  of  the  year  at  Hornellsville,  Rev.  I.  L.  Cottrell,  of  both 
churches,  latter  part  of  the  year ;  Shingle  House  church,  Penn- 
sylvania, Rev.  J.  G.  Mahoney;  Richburg  church,  N.  Y.,  Rev. 
6.  S.  Mills;  Stokes  church,  Ohio,  Rev.  A.  G.  Crofoot;  Ber- 
lin field,  Wisconsin,  Mr.  E.  F.  Loofboro;  New  Auburn  church, 
Minn.,  Rev.  J.  T.  Davis ;  the  Carlton  church,  Iowa,  Rev.  L.  D. 
Burdick;  Boulder  church.  Col.,  Rev.  S.  R.  Wheeler;  Bethel 
church,  Illinois,  Rev.  F.  F.  Johnson ;  Hammond  church.  La., 
Rev.  G.  M.  Cottrell ;  Attalla  church,  Ala.,  Rev.  R.  S.  ^^'iIson. 

II.  GENERAL    MISSIONARIES. 

Rev.  E.  H.  Socwell,  the  Iowa  field. 

Rev.  L.  F.  Saggs,  the  Missouri  and  Indian  Territory 
field. 

.    Rev.  S.  I.  Lee,  Arkansas  field. 
(26) 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  417 

Rev.  G.  H.  F.  Randolph,  the  Southwestern  field.  Rev. 
A.  P.  Ashurst  first  part  of  the  year,  the  Rev.  R.  S.  Wilson  the 
remainder  of  this  }ear  on  the  Alabama  field. 

III.       EVAXGELISTIC    WORK. 

0.  U.  Whitford,  G.  B.  Carpenter,  G.  J.  Crandall,  Evan- 
gelistic Committee. 

EVAXGELISTS   EMPLOYED. 

E.  B.  Saunders,  ]\Iilton,  Wis. ;  L.  C.  Randolph,  Chicago, 
111. ;  J.  G.  Burdick,  New  York  City ;  D.  W.  Leath,  Yum  Yum, 
Tenn. ;  J.  H.  Hurley,  North  Loup,  Neb. ;  L.  R.  Swifmey,  De- 
Ruyter,  N.  Y. :  E.  A.  Babcock,  Alilton,  ^^^is. ;  George  W.  Hills, 
Nortonville,  Kansas ;  George  B.  Shaw,  New  York  City ;  T,  J. 
Van  Horn,  West  Hallock,  111.;  :\I.  B.  Kelly,  Chicago,  111. 
Two  of  the  above  were  employed  the  entire  year,  the  rest 
portions  of  the  year. 

THE   STUDENT   QUARTETS. 

Two  Student  quartets  spent  their  summer  vacation  in 
evangelistic  work. 

1.  Alfred  University  Quartet:  Wayland  Wilcox,  Walter 
Brown,  Henry  Jordan  and  George  Ellis. 

2.  Alilton  College  Quartet:  Charles  S.  Sayre,  Edgar 
\'an  Horn,  W.  R.  Rood  and  Jesse  Hutchins. 

CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY. 

He  reports  during  the  year  yi  sermons  and  addresses ; 
1. 150  communications  received;  1,267  sent  out;  169  packages 
of  printed  matter  mailed;  21  informal  missionary  conferences 
held  with  churches ;  attended  all  the  Missionary  Board  meet- 
ings, and  two  Tract  Board  meetings;  the  Southeastern,  East- 
ern, Central,  Western  and  Northwestern  Associations,  in  the 
interest  of  our  missions  and  of  a  new  method  for  rafsing  funds 
for  their  support ;  also  the  General  Conference  and  the  anni- 
versaries ;  edited  the  missionary  page  of  The  Sabbath  Rc- 
cdYder;  prepared  the  annual  report  of  the  Board  and  presented 
it  at  the  anniversary  of  the  society ;  made  five  missionary  trips ; 
served  on  several  committees  during  the  year  and  supervised 
the  work  and  workers  on  several  home  mission  fields. 


4l8  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

FINANCES. 

There  has  been  a  falUng  off  in  the  income  for  the  support 
of  our  missions  during  the  year.  The  Board  inaugurated  last 
April  a  new  method  of  raising  funds  for  our  mission  work: 
viz.,  the  Monthly  Pledge  Card  and  Envelope  System.  These 
pledge  cards  and  envelopes  were  distributed  throughout  the 
churches.  This  method  is  meeting  with  excellent  success  in 
raising  mission  funds. 

SUMMARY  OF  THE  WORK  OF  THE  YEAR. 

In  China  mission  four  workers  and  ten  native  helpers. 
Added  to  the  church,  ii.  In  Holland  two  workers;  in  Eng- 
land, one.  Added  to  the  Mill  Yard  church,  4.  On  the  home 
fields  31  workers;  added  to  the  churches,  147  by  baptism,  73 
by  letter  and  verbal  statement,  total  220 ;  converts  to  the  Sab- 
bath, 31 ;  Sabbath  schools  organized,  3;  churches  organized,  2, 
viz.,  Holgate,  Ohio,  and  Wynne,  Ark. 

1900.^ 

The  fifty-eighth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the  Sev- 
enth-day Baptist  General  Conference  at  Adams  Center,  N.  Y., 
Aug.  23,  1900,  the  president,  William  L.  Clarke,  presiding. 

The  annual  report  of  the  Board  was  presented  by  George 
H.  Utter,  Treasurer,  and  Oscar  U.  Whitford,  Corresponding 
Secretary. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Jonathan  Maxson,  was  born  Jan.  26,  1816;  and  died 
Nov.  12,  1899 ;  for  forty-two  years  a  member  of  the  Board. 

Charles  Potter,  born  April  21,  1824;  died  Dec.  2,  1899; 
for  twenty-two  years  a  member  of  the  Board. 

FOREIGN    MISSIONS. 

China. 

The  laborers  in  China  the  past  year  were  Rev.  David 
H.  Davis  and  wife,  and  Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick,  and  Dr.  Rosa 
W.  Palmborg,  with  fourteen  native  helpers. 


1.     Beginning   with    the    year    1900,    the    remainder    of    this    sketch    was    pre- 
pared by  George  B.  Carpenter,  after  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford. 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETY.  4l8a 

Re-enforcement. 

The  Mission  was  re-enforced  in  October  by  a  teacher 
for  the  Boys'  School. 

Mr.  Jay  W.  Crofoot  was  formally  consecrated  to  the  work 
at  the  last  session  of  the  General  Conference,  held  at  Asha- 
way,  R.  I.,  in  August,  1899.  He  and  his  wife  sailed  from 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Sept.  29,   1899. 

On  account  of  the  so-called  "Boxer"  disturbance  in  North 
China,  involving  the  destruction  of  mission  buildings,  the 
massacre  of  missionaries,  and  the  newspaper  statements  to 
the  effect  that  the  "Boxer"  movement  was  spreading  to  South 
China,  at  a  special  Board  meeting,  held  June  25,  1900,  the 
President  was  instructed  to  send  the  following  cablegram 
to  the  Rev.  David  H.  Davis  at  Shanghai:  "Leave  if  safety 
requires."  This  was  sent  from  Westerly,  R.  I.,  June  26, 
1900.  On  June  28,  1900,  the  following  cablegram  was  re- 
ceived from  Mr.  Davis,  "Quiet."  On  July  24,  1900,  President 
Clarke,  of  the  Board,  received  a  letter-  from  Mr.  Davis  saying, 
he  would  "stay  by  his  post  until  it  became  necessary  to 
leave  it." 

England. 

The  time  for  which  the  Rev.  William  C.  Daland,  D.  D., 
was  engaged  to  labor  in  London  expired  May  i,  1899.  By 
the  .earnest  appeal  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church  and  wish  of 
Mr.  Daland,  in  view  of  important  interests  unsettled,  the  Board 
extended  his  stay  until^  December  31,  1899,  and  subsequently 
to  June  I,  1900. 

At  the  regular  Board  meeting,  October  18.  1899,  a  letter 
was  received  from  Mr.  David  E.  Titsworth,  President  of  the 
Sabbath  Evangelizing  and  Industrial  Association,  concerning 
interests  at  Ayan  Maim,  Gold  Coast,  West  Africa,  and  re- 
questing that  the  Misisonary  Board  allow  the  Rev.  William 
C.  Daland  to  go  to  Ayan  Maim  to  baptize  con^;crts  and  or- 
ganize a  church  there,  the  Board  to  give  Mr.  Daland's  time, 
with  the  understanding  that  the  Sabbath  Evangelizing  and 
Industrial  Association  pay  the  expense  of  the  trip  from 
London  and  return.     It  was  voted :    "That  the  Corresponding 


4l8b  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

Secretary  be  authorized  to  say  to  Brother  David  E.  Titsworth 
that  the  Board  is  wilHng  that  Brother  Daland  shall  go  to 
West  Africa  upon  that  mission,  and  according  to  the  terms 
suggested  in  Brother  Titsworth's  letter,  provided  Brother 
Daland  shall  be  sent  during  the  year  1899."  Brother  Daland 
sailed  from  Liverpool,  December  28,  1899,  for  the  Gold  Coast, 
West  Africa,  and  returned  to  London  March  23,  1900,  having 
been  gone  nearly  three  months.  At  the  regular  Board  meet- 
ing held  April  18,  1900,  it  was  voted:  "That  the  Treasurer 
be  authorized  to  make  all  necessary  arrangements  for  the  re- 
turn of  Brother  William  C.  Daland  and  family  to  America." 
Mr.  Daland  and  family  sailed  from  England  May  31,  1900, 
and  arrived  in  New  York  City,  June  11,  1900.  He  is  now  the 
pastor  of  the  First  Brookfield  Church,  at  Leonardsville,  N.  Y. 
At  a  special  Board  meeting,  held  June  25,  1900,  the  Rev. 
William  C.  Daland  gave  a  full  account  of  his  four  years  of 
service  with  the  Mill  Yard  Church  and  the  London  field,  stat- 
ing in  a  clear  way  the  status  of  afifairs,  the  condition,  needs, 
and  prospects  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church.  It  was  voted :  "That 
the  President  appoint  a  committee  of  three  to  consider  the 
conditions  and  the  relation  of  this  Society  to  the  work  in  Lon- 
don, and  to  report  to  this  Board  at  its  regular  meeting,  to 
be  held  July  18,  iqoo."  The  President  appointed  as  said 
committee  George  H.  Utter,  Clayton  A.  Burdick,  and  Joseph 
H.  Potter.  The  time  for  the  report  of  this  committee  was 
extended  to  the  regular  Board  meeting,  to  be  held  October 
17,  1900. 

Holland. 

The  Rev.  Gerard  Velthuysen  Sr,  is  still  in  charge  of 
our  work  in  Haarlem  as  missionary  pastor ;  and  the  Rev. 
Frederick  J.  Bakker  at  Rotterdam. 

HOME   MISSIONS. 

The  evangelistic  work  was  continued  throughout  the  year. 
Three  evangelists  were  employed  by  the  Committee  during 
the  year.  They  have  labored  in  eight  different  states.  There 
have  been  added  to  the  church,  through  their  labors,  sixty- 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  4l8c 

nine  by  baptism  and  twenty-one  by  letter  and  experience — a 
total  of  ninety. 

In  the  Home  Mission  work  there  have  been  twenty-five 
workers,  through  whose  labors  there  were  added  to  the  church 
III  by  baptism,  seventy-four  by  letter  and  experience — a  total 
of  one  hundred  and  eighty-five ;  with  five  converts  to  the 
Sabbath,  and  three  Sabbath  schools  organized. 

FINANCE. 

Total  receipts  from  all  sources : 

Balance  in  Treasury  Aug.  i,  1899   $      830  y^ 

Cash  received  during  year   13492  29 

Loans    3,000  00 

$17,323  02 
Total  expenditure   $16,591    17 

Balance  in  Treasury  %7Z^  ^5 

Outstanding  note,  Aug.  i,  1899,  $4,000.00 

1901. 

The  fifty-ninth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  29, 
1901,  President  WilHam  L.  Clarke  presiding. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Ella  F.  Swinney,  M.  D.,  was  born  Sept.  25,  1840;  and 
died  Nov.  14,  1900;  for  nearly  twelve  years  she  was  a  medical 
missionary  in  our  China  Mission  in  Shanghai. 

FOREIGN    MISSIONS. 

China. 

Rev.  David  H.  Davis  and  wife,  and  Mr.  Jay  W.  Crofoot 
and  wife  have  been  on  the  field  the  entire  year,  assisted  by 
the  fifteen  native  workers.  Additions  to  the  church  seven. 
Miss  Susie  Burdick  and  Dr.  Rosa  Palmborg  have  been  on 
leave  of  absence  in  the  home  land. 


4lSd  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

Ayan  Maim,  Gold  Coast,  West  Africa. 

By  the  request  of  the  Sabbath  Evangelizing  and  Industrial 
Association  of  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  which  had  charge  of  our  in- 
terests at  Ayan  Maim,  Gold  Coast,  the  Missionary  Society  as- 
sumed the  care  of  said  interests  January  i,  1901.  The  Board 
appropriated  the  same  amount  toward  the  support  of  Bro. 
Joseph  Ammokoo,  as  pastor  of  the  church,  and  his  son,  Eb- 
enezer  G.  A.  Ammokoo,  as  teacher  of  the  school,  which  the 
Sabbath  Evangelizing  and  Industrial  Asociation  were  paying 
them;  viz.,  $160.  The  little  church  at  Ayan  Maim  appealed 
to  the  Missionary  Society  to  send  them  a  missionary  and 
teacher.  The  request  and  appeal  have  been  considered  in  the 
meetings  of  the  Board,  but  no  definite  action  thereon  has  been 
taken  as  yet  by  the  Board.  Further  consideration  of  the  ques- 
tion of  sending  a  missionary  to  the  Gold  Coast  was  deferred 
at  the  Board  meeting  of  July  17,  1901,  to  the  regular  meeting 
of  the  Board,  October  16,  1901. 

Holland. 

The  Rev.  Gerard  Velthuysen  Sr.  has  had  the  pastoral 
care  of  the  Haarlem  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  in  Haarlem, 
and  also  of  the  little  gathering  of  Sabbath-keepers  in  Amster- 
dam. Having  recovered  in  health  and  strength,  he  has  per- 
formed his  church  and  other  work  with  his  usual  ability  and 
energy.  He  stands  as  a  Nestor  in  his  city  for  every  good  cause. 
He  is  an  able  advocate  of  the  Gospel  and  the  Law.  Besides 
his  church  and  missionary  duties,  he  edits  the  Boodschapper, 
a  paper  setting  forth  Gospel  and  Sabbath  truth,  and  labors 
with  vigor  and  power  in  the  interests  of  temperance  and  Sab- 
bath reform. 

The  Rev.  Frederick  J.  Bakker  has  been  for  the  entire 
year  the  missionary  pastor  of  the  Rotterdam  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist church,  and  a  general  missionary  in  the  city.  He  has 
maintained  the  weekly  Sabbath  services  of  the  church,  and 
the  sessions  of  the  Sabbath  school.  He  is  very  active  and 
diligent  in  his  general  missionary  work,  which  is  chiefly  in 
visiting  steamers  and  ships,  talking  with  the  sailors  and  the 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  418^ 

emigrants,  distributing  evangelistic  and  Sabbath  tracts  in  sev- 
eral languages,  the  Boodschappcr  and  other  papers. 

England. 

At  the  close  of  the  last  3'ear's  report,  the  Rev.  William  C. 
Daland  had  returned  from  London,  and  had  settled  as  pastor 
over  the  First  Brookfield  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church,  at 
Leonardsville,  N.  Y.  Soon  after  his  return,  the  Mill  Yard 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Church  made  an  appeal  to  the  Missionary 
Society  to  send  them  again  a  preacher  and  missionary,  and 
aid  them  in  his  support.  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Board,  held  June  25,  1900,  the  matter  was  considered, 
and  a  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  George  H. 
Utter,  Clayton  A.  Burdick  and  Joseph  H.  Potter,  "to  con- 
sider the  condition  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church,  and  the  relation 
of  this  Society  to  the  work  in  London."  The  Committee  pre- 
sented the  following  report  at  the  regular  Board  meeting, 
held  October  17,  1900: 

"Your  committee  to  consider  the  future  relations  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  to  the  work  of  our  people  in  London,  would  respect- 
fully report  that  in  accordance  with  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  William 
C.  Daland,  made  in  his  statement  concerning  the  work  in  that  city 
on  his  return  in  June  last,  that  Sabbath  reform  and  missionary 
effort  might  advantageously  be  continued  in  London,  a  joint  meeting 
of  the  members  of  the  Board  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society 
and  of  the  members  of  this  Board,  so  far  as  was  practicable,  was 
held  at  the  General  Conference  in  Adams  Centre,  N.  Y.,  when  Mr. 
Daland  told  of  the  condition  of  the  work  much  as  he  had  previously 
done  before  this  Board.  It  was  the  unanimous  opinion  of  those  pres- 
ent, expressed  and  unexpressed,  that  the  London  field  demanded  care- 
ful consideration  before  any  definite  action  was  taken.  The  members 
of  the  two  Boards  then  assembled  were  informed  fully  of  the  action 
taken  by  this  Board  in  appointing  a  committee  to  consider  the  subject, 
and  a  request  was  made  that  the  Board  of  the  Tract  Society  should 
take  similar  action,  in  order  that  the  two  boards  might  work  in 
harmony.  In  accordance  with  that  request,  at  the  regular  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  the  Tract  Society,  held  Sunday,  October  14,  1900, 
a  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  David  E.  Titsworth,  Henry 
M.  Maxson,  and  Arthur  E.  Main,  to  confer  with  the  committee  of 
this  Board.  It  is  therefore,  the  recommendation  of  your  com- 
mittee that  it  be  continued  with  the  purpose  of  conferring  with  the 
committee  of  the  Tract  Society,  and  authorized  to  report  at  such 
time  as  it  deems  best  for  the  interest  of  all  concerned." 


4l8/  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

The  report  was  received  and  the  committee  continued. 
In  the  meantime  the  Court  of  Chancery,  England,  had  adopted 
a  scheme  for  the  regulation  and  management  of  the  Charity- 
known  as  Joseph  Davis  Charity  for  Sabbatarian  Protestant 
Dissenters,  in  which  the  Mill  Yard  Church  had  an  interest. 
In  regard  to  the  Mill  Yard  Church  it  was  decided  in  the 
scheme  that  in  case  the  General  Baptist  Association  of  the 
New  Connexion  shall  contribute,  or  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
Judge  of  Chambers,  guarantee  the  payment  of  a  sum  not  less 
than  £1,000  toward  the  purchase  of  a  site  and  the  erection 
thereon  of  a  chapel  or  of  a  lecture  hall,  institute  or  school- 
building,  then  a  like  sum,  or  other  such  amount  as  the  Judge 
in  Chambers  may  approve,  may  be  raised  out  of  the  Joseph 
Davis  Charity  Fund  for  the  purpose  of  such  a  site  and  the 
erection  thereon  of  such  a  building.  Such  building  shall  be 
primarily  devoted  on  Saturdays  to  the  use  of  the  Seventh-day 
General  Baptist  church,  formerly  worshiping  at  Mill  Yard 
Chapel.  > 

In  the  application  of  funds  it  was  decreed  in  the  scheme 
that  after  all  the  proper  costs,  charges  and  expenses  of,  and  in- 
cidental to,  the  administration  and  management  of  the  Charity, 
that  certain  annual  payments  were  to  be  made  of  what  was 
left  of  the  annual  income,  among  which  was  the  following: 
toward  the  expenses  to  be  incurred  in  providing  a  minister, 
and  until  the  completion  of  such  a  building  as  mentioned  in 
Clause  35,  a  place  of  meeting  for  such  of  the  members  (if 
any)  of  the  congregation  formally  meeting  at  Mill  Yard,  who 
shall  bona  fide  continue  to  meet  and  to  hold  service  as  a  Sev- 
enth-day General   Baptist  church — iioo. 

Following  the  application  of  the  funds  in  this  decree : 
The  amounts  and  conditions  of  the  several  payments  and  al- 
lowances which  are  prescribed  by  the  scheme,  may  be  varied 
from  time  to  time  by  the  Trustees,  with  the  sanction  of  the 
Judge  in  Chambers. 

During  the  past  year  the  services  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church 
have  been  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  C.  B.  Barber,  the  Secretary 
of  the  church,  and  Dea.  N.  O'Neil.  They  have  had  to  give  up 
their  place  of  worship  because  no  money  was  paid  them  from 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY.  4'^og 

the  income  of  the  Charity  Fund  to  pay  the  rent,  and  further- 
more no  money  has  been  paid  them  from  said  Fund  toward 
providing  a  preacher;  therefore,  they  have  conducted  the 
services  themselves,  or  when  they  have  had  a  minister  preach 
to  them,  they  paid  him  out  of  their  own  pockets. 

No  measures  have  been  taken  by  the  Trustees  of  this 
Fund,  so  far  as  known,  to  buikl  a  Chapel,  according  to  the 
decree  of  the  scheme. 

After  due  consideration  of  the  condition  of  the  Mill  Yard 
Church,  and  of  the  work  of  our  people  in  London,  by  the 
joint  committee  of  the  two  societies,  the  following  was  the 
report  of  our  committee  to  its  Board : 

"Your  committee  to  consider  the  relations  between  this  Board 
and  the  church  in  London,  known  as  the  Mill  Yard  church,  would 
respectfully  report  that  they  have  given  the  matter  considerable  con- 
sideration, and  have  conferred  with  those  who  are  interested  alike 
with  this  Board  in  the  matter  so  far  as  the  denomination  which  we 
represent  is  concerned.  After  a  full  consideration  and  weighing  of 
all  the  facts  to  be  obtained,  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  committee  that 
this  Board  should  not  take  up  the  care  of  the  Mill  Yard  church  at 
this   time,   because : 

"i.  The  calls  for  assistance  from  the  Board  are  so  many  that 
all  cannot  be  answered,  and,  therefore,  it  becomes  the  duty  of  the 
Board  to  select  those  which  are  the  most  favorably  situated  for  se- 
curring  the  results  for  which  this  Board  labors.  The  expense  involved 
in  sustaining  a  missionary  pastor  in  London  would  be  greater  at  this 
time  than  the  Board  is  warranted  in  assuming  under  the  present 
financial  conditions,  and  with  the  conditions  of  the  Mill  Yard  Church 
borne  in  mind. 

"2.  Under  the  Scheme  established  by  the  Court  of  Chancery  for 
the  distribution  of  the  To>enh  Davis  Charity,  the  portion  which  is 
coming  to  the  Mill  Yard  Church  is  fixed  in  amount,  but  the  con- 
ditions surrounding  it  are  so  uncertani  and  so  uependcnt  upon  the 
action  of  other  parties  to  the  Scheme,  that  the  Board  would  not  be 
warranted  in  entering  upon  work  which  required  the  financial  as- 
sistance of  this  fund.  Under  that  condition,  therefore,  your  com- 
mittee is  of  the  opinion  that  the  present  outlook  for  the  Board's 
finances  would  not  justify  them  in  entering  upon  the  work  at  London, 
which  would  of  necessity  be  for  a  period  of  years. 

"3.  Added  to  these  two  reasons  already  mentioned  is  the  more 
serious  one  of  the  lack  of  harnwny  among  the  members  of  the  Mill 
Yard  Church.  Their  differences  are  of  such  a  nature  that  your  com- 
mittee sees   no  hope   of  successful  work  there   under  such  conditions, 


4l8h  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

and  when  thisi  is  added  to  the  conditions  which  surround  the  Board, 
your  committee  has  reached  the  conclusion  already  stated. 

George  H.  Utter, 
Clayton    A.    Burdick, 
Joseph  H.   Potter, 

Committee. 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  adopted  and  the  com- 
mittee discharged  from  the  further  consideration  of  the 
matter. 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

During  the  past  year  thirty-seven  churches  have  been 
aided  by  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Missionary  Society, 
in  the  support  of  pastors.  Twenty-seven  ministers  have  served 
these  churches  as  missionary  pastors.  Some  of  these  have  been 
over  their  churches  the  entire  year,  others  only  part  of  the 
year.  The  most  of  them  have  served  only  one  church,  some  of 
them  have  been  joint  pastors  over  two  or  three  churches  lo- 
cated near  each  other.  The  small  churches  thus  aided  are 
in  the  following  states :  Rhode  Island,  West  Virginia,  Penn- 
sylvania, New  York,  Ohio,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Iowa, 
Nebraska,  Colorado,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Arkansas,  Texas, 
Louisiana,  Alabama.  In  the  most  of  these  churches  there  have 
been  additions.  In  some  of  them  it  has  been  a  time  of  seed 
sowing,  which  will  in  good  time  bring  forth  a  harvest.  There 
have  been  added  to  the  churches,  66  by  baptism,  37  by  letter 
and  experience ;  one  convert  to  the  Sabbath. 

General  Missionaries. 

There  have  been  employed  five  general  missionaries  during 
the  year ;  two  of  them  the  entire  year,  three  only  parts  of  the 
year.  They  have  labored  in  the  states  of  Wisconsin,  Iowa, 
Missouri,  Arkansas,  Texas,  Alabama,  Indian  Territory,  and 
Oklahoma,  and  in  New  Brunswick,  Canada.  Many  churches 
and  Sabbath-keepers  have  been  visited,  encouraged,  and 
strengthened.  Through  their  labors  20  have  been  added  to 
the  church  by  baptism ;  41  by  letter  and  experience ;  9  converts 
to  the  Sabbath ;  i  church  and  2  Sabbath  schools  have  been 
orsfanized. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY,  4l8i 

Evangelistic  Work. 

1.  Two  evangelists  have  been  employed  by  the  Evan- 
gelistic Committee  of  the  Board  during  the  entire  year.  They 
have  labored  in  six  different  states  in  the  Union.  Aggregate 
sermons,  506;  visits,  606;  conversions,  95  ;  baptisms,  42 ;  added 
to  the  churches,  33  by  baptism,  20  by  letter  and  experience; 
total  53;  wanderers  reclaimed,  12;  converts  to  the  Sabbath,  2; 
organized  one  Young  People's  Christian  Endeavor  Society, 
I  Sabbath  school. 

2.  There  were  7  quartettes  of  28  young  men ;  2  of  8 
young  women  ;  15  preachers  at  different  times;  time,  2  months 
for  each  quartette  (the  months  of  July  and  August — the 
sumer  vacation)  ;  conversions,  97 ;  many  quickened  and  re- 
claimed ;  baptisms  44 ;  added  to  the  churches  by  baptism,  40 ; 
by  letter  and  experience,  9 ;  total  49 ;  converts  to  the  Sabbath, 
15.  The  pastors  who  went  with  the  quartettes  as  preachers 
were  given  the  time  by  their  churches,  without  loss  of  salary, 
and  their  travelling  expenses  paid  from  the  Student  Quar- 
tette Evangelistic  Fund.  The  quartettes  were  paid  and  their 
traveling  expenses,  from  said  fund,  raised  by  contributions 
from  the  churches  and  individuals,  collections  on  the  fields 
and  appropriation  by  the  Evangelistic  Committee.  Contribu- 
tions and  collections  for  the*work,  $933.11;  paid  by  order  of 
the  Evangelistic  Committee,  $664.47;  total  expenses  of  the 
Student  Quartette  work,  $1,597.58. 

FINANCIAL  SUMMARY. 

Balance  in  Treasury  Aug.  i,  1900 $      731  85 

Received  cash  from  Aug.  i,  1900  to  July  31,  1901  .  .    10,876  66 
Loans    3,7oo  00 

$15,308  51 

Payments    $14,601  70 

Balance  in  Treasury   706  81 


$15-308  51 
Debt  note,  $2,200.00. 


4l8/  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

1902. 

The  sixtieth  annual  session  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  was  held  in  connection  with  the  General 
Conference  at  Ashaway,  R.  I.,  Aug.  21,  1902,-  President 
William  L.  Clarke  presiding. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

Peter  Hendrick  Velthuysen,  was  born  in  Haarlem,  Hol- 
land, June  I,  1874;  and  died  at  Salt  Pond,  Gold  Coast,  West 
Africa,  Feb.  20,  1902,  having  been  on  his  mission  field  two 
months  and  twenty-eight  days. 

FOREIGN    MISSIONS. 

China. 

In  China  there  have  been  five  workers  and  sixteen  native 
helpers;  added  to  the  Shanghai  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church, 
eight;  present  membership,  sixty-six.  The  Medical  Mission 
moved  to  Lieu-oo  Feb.  28,   1902. 

Ayan  Maim,  Gold  Coast,  West  Africa. 

The  little  church  at  Ayan  Maim  had  frequently  made 
appeals  to  the  Missionary  Board  to  send  them  a  missionary 
and  a  teacher.  The  Board  had  not  seen  its  way  clear  ro 
do  so.  Peter  H.  Velthuysen,  a  student  in  Alfred  University, 
had  taken  a  great  interest  in  the  Gold  Coast  field,  and  had 
expressed  a  desire  to  go  there  as  a  missionary  and  teacher. 
He  decided  to  oflfer  himself  to  the  Missionary  Board  for  that 
work,  if  a  move  should  be  made  during  the  General  Confer- 
ence, held  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  to  send  one  there.  Such  a  move 
was  made,  and  annual  pledges  were  given  for  three  years 
to  the  amount  of  $1,144  to  send  a  missionary  and  teacher  10 
Ayan  Maim.  Mr.  Velthuysen  offered  himself  and  the  Mis- 
sionary Board  extended  to  him  a  call  to  go  to  Ayan  Maim 
early  in  the  next  October,  which  he  accepted.  On  Sabbath- 
day,  Sept.  28,  1901,  appropriate  and  impressive  consecration 
services  were  held  in  the  First  Alfred  Church,  N.  Y.,  of  which 
he  was  a  member,  setting  him  apart  to  the  work  of  a  teacher 


PETER  VELTHUYSEN. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  4l8fe 

and  a  missionary  at  Ayan  Maim.  He  sailed  from  New  York 
for  Liverpool,  on  the  steamship  Cymric,  October  i,  1901,  to 
go  thence  to  Haarlem,  Holland,  to  visit  his  parents,  brother 
and  sister,  where  he  spent  a  week  or  more.  He  returned  to 
England ;  after  visiting  friends  in  London,  he  sailed  from 
Liverpool  on  the  steamer  Bathurst,  October  26,  1901,  for  Salt 
Pond,  Gold  Coast,  West  Africa,  and  arrived  there  Nov.  20. 

Unfortunately,  he  died  soon  after  he  began  his  work, 
leaving  one  foreign  worker  and  two  native  workers  upon  that 
field. 

Holland. 

In  Holland,  at  Haarlem  and  Rotterdam,  they  have  two 
workers,  Rev.  Gerard  Velthuysen  and  Rev.  Frederick  J, 
Bakker.  Brother  Velthuysen's  report  closes  with  the  fol- 
lowing: "I  do  not  know  what  to  tell  you  about  our  prospect 
here.  We  labor  as  much  and  as  faithfully  as  we  can,  and  the 
prospects  are  sure  that  God  will  bless  his  own  testimony  in 
his  own  good  time.  So  it  will  be  everywhere  to  the  glory 
of  his  Name." 

HOME   FIELD. 

Two  evangelists,  employed  the  entire  year,  have  labored 
in  seven  different  states  in  the  Union.  Aggregate  number 
of  sermons  and  addresses,  471;  visits,  698;  added  to  the 
churches  by  baptism,  69;  by  letter,  experience  and  restora- 
tion, 21 — total,  90;  converts  to  the  Sabbath,  i;  pages  of 
tracts  distributed,  7,490 ;  one  meeting-house  dedicated ;  two 
fjunior  Young  People's  Christian  Endeavor  Societies  organ- 
ized ;  I  Sabbath  school  graded. 

There  have  been  employed  four  quartettes  of  sixteen 
young  women ;  seven  evangelists  and  preachers  at  different 
times;  time  of  labor,  months  of  July  and  August  (the  sum- 
mer vacation);  conversions,  48;  reclaimed,  11;  baptized,  35; 
added  to  the  churches  by  baptism  and  letter,  46;  converts 
to  the  Sabbath,  6.  The  labors  were  in  the  states  of  West 
Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota. 

On  the  home  field  there  have  been  sixty  workers  during 
the  year,  some  all  the  time,  others  part  of  the  time.  Through 
their  labors  there  have  been  added  to  the  churches   141   by 


4l8/  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 


• 


baptism,  115  by  letter,  experience  and  statement;  total,  256. 
Two  churches,  four  Sabbath  schools,  and  four  Young-  People's 
Christian  Endeavor  Societies  have  been  organized  ;  ten  con- 
verts to  the  Sabbath. 

FINANCIAL    SUMMARY. 

Balance  in  Treasury  Aug.  i,  1901  $     706  81 

Received  from  contributions    10,401  62 

Loans    4,400  00 

$15-  508  43 

Payments    $14,020  21 

Balance  in  Treasury 1,488  22 


$15,  508  43 


Debt,  notes,  $3,900.00. 

CONCLUSION. 

In  looking-  back  over  the  year's  work  on  all  the  ^^ariou.s 
mission  fields  there  are  causes  for  joy  and  thanksgiving  for 
the  success  and  gains  on  some  of  the  fields,  also  cause  for 
sorrow  from  discouragements  and  losses  on  other  fields.  The 
death  of  a  noble  and  consecrated  worker  on  the  Gold  Coast 
field  just  as  he  began  his  work  is  a  source  of  deep  sorrov/  . 
to  us  all,  and  it  is  a  cause  of  discouragement  and  sadness 
to  the  little  church  at  Ayan  Maim.  However,  in  it  all  God 
will  bring  out  of  it  good  and  we  will  trust  in  his  wisdom 
and  goodness.  We  praise  God  that  he  has  preserved  the 
workers  on  other  fields  and  graciously  blessed  their  labors. 
The  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  law  of  God  have  been 
preached  on  all  the  fields  with  earnestness  and  zeal.  Souls 
have  been  saved  from  ruin  of  sin  and  some  have  accepted 
the  Sabbath  of  Jehovah.  The  churches  have  had  seasons  of 
refreshing  from  the  Lord,  been  revived  and  strengthened,  and 
additions  have  been  made  to  their  memberships.  Many  have 
been  renewed  in  their  spiritual  life  and  have  become  more 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  4l8m 

active  in  the  service  of  Christ.  There  is  a  good  missionary 
spirit  pervading  the  people,  especially  the  young  people  in 
our  churches  and  schools.  This  all  is  a  cause  for  rejoicing, 
a  source  of  encouragement,  an  indication  of  progress  and  a 
call  to  us  all  to  greater  endeavor  and  a  more  faithful  service 
of  evangelizing  the  world. 

HISTORICAL   SURVEY. 

This  is  the  centennial  session  of  our  General  Conference. 
It  leads  us  as  a  people  to  take  a  historical  survey  of  our 
work  for  a  century  or  more.  It  is  a  survey  of  more  than 
a  record  of  events.  There  are  underlying  causes  which,  as 
operative  forces,  make  history.  There  is  no  event  in  history 
without  a  cause.  Therefore  our  historical  survey  is  a  view 
of  the  causes  that  have  brought  to  us  as  a  people  prosperity 
or  adversity,  success  or  failure,  gain  or  loss.  Our  mission 
work  as  a  people  is  more  than  a  century  old.  It  began  two 
hundred  and  thirty-one  years  ago,  when  the  first  Seventh-day 
Baptist  church  was  organized  at  Newport,  R.  I.  At  the  be- 
beginning  it  was  missionary  work  by  the  local  church,  then 
of  several  churches  united  in  sending  out  the  evangelist  and 
preacher,  until  it  eventuated  in  organized  missionary  effort, 
and  that  gave  birth  to  the  General  Conference.  In  the  first 
century  the  work  was  purely  home  missionary  effort,  in  the 
formation  and  organization  of  new  churches  in  new  settle- 
ments in  a  new  country  being  settled  by  those  who  moved 
away  from  the  old  mother  churches. 

In  the  second  century  we  as  a  people  enlarged  our  mis- 
sionary borders  and  engaged  in  foreign  mission  work.  From 
these  beginnings  the  fields  have  widened  and  the  work  has 
grown  apace  with  the  years  on  our  hands,  increasing  our 
duty,  our  responsibility,  to  meet  the  increasing  demands  and 
with  ever  widening  doors  of  opportunity  for  missionary  and 
evangelistic  labor.  So  from  the  very  beginning  of  our  exist- 
ence as  a  people  in  this  country  up  to  the  present  time,  we 
have  been  a  missionary  people.  We  owe  to  this  missionary 
spirit,  which  has  ever  been  ours,  our  preservation  and  what 
we  are  today  as  a  people;  our  growth  and  success,  in  the 
face  of  all  prejudice  and  opposition.    For  a  people  not  having 


4l8;i.  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

large  numbers  or  great  resources,  we  have  done  well  through 
these  years  of  missionary  effort,  and  have  good  reason  to 
take  courage  and  press  forward  in  the  good  work. 

What  SJioll  be  the  Outcome  of  this  Survey? 

This  centennial  celebration  of  our  General  Conference, 
and  this  historical  survey  of  all  the  lines  of  our  work  as  a 
people  for  a  century  past,  should  be  of  future  value  to  us. 
If  we  only  notice  the  events,  and  the  leading  men  and  women 
in  those  events,  we  shall  reap  no  good  harvest  from  this 
survey.  It  should  bring  to  us  such  a  stock  of  wisdom,  power 
and  inspiration  that  shall  enable  us  to  make  another  century 
more  successful  and  more  glorious  in  every  line  of  denom- 
inational work.  It  should  enfold  and  bring  to  us  a  deeper, 
clearer  and  broader  view  of  our  mission  in  this  world  as  a 
people,  and  imbue  us  from  center  to  circumference  with  the 
spirit,  purpose,  inspiration,  and  enthusiasm  of  that  mission. 
It  should  lead  us  before  God,  to  possess  the  requisites  to 
accomplish  successfully  the  mission  for  which  we  have  been 
kept  these  two  centuries.  It  should  lead  us  to  a  thorough 
study  of  the  causes  that  have  brought  us  success,  and  those 
as  well  that  have  produced  failure  and  loss.  Henceforth  from 
this  centennial  historical  celebration  and  survey,  we  should 
be  a  wiser  and  better  and  stronger  people.  It  should  bring 
to  us  a  greater  joy  in  service,  a  deeper  and  firmer  faith  in 
God  and  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit;  it  should  deepen  our  love 
of  souls,  deepen  and  broaden  our  missionary  spirit,  our  love 
of  the  Sabbath,  its  better  observance,  give  us  the  spirit  of 
Sabbath  reform  as  we  have  never  had  it  before,  make  us  one 
solid  phalanx  in  all  lines  of  denominational  effort  that  will 
bring  sure  victory  to  the  cause  and  the  truth  for  which  we 
stand,  and  crown  Jesus  Christ  the  Lord  of  all. 


(26J4) 


THE  AMERICAN   SABBATH 
TRACT  SOCIETY. 


ARTHUR  L.  TITSWORTH. 
See    Biographical    Sketches,  p.    1361. 


THE  AMERICAN  SABBATH  TRACT 
SOCIETY. 

INCLUDING    ALL  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTIST    PUBLICATIONS 
and  SABBATH  REFORM  WORK 


Arthur   L.  Titsworth. 


KARLY   EFFORTS  TO   PROMOTE  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  PUr.LISHING 

INTERESTS. 

"In  the  early  history  of  the  denomination,  beginning  with 
the  organization  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  at  New- 
port, R.  I.,  in  1671,  it  met  with  bitter  opposition.  Its  early 
struggles  were  struggles  for  the  right  to  live,  and  its  work  was 
the  work  of  self  defense  rather  than  aggressive  propagation 
of  truth.  Its  progress  was  slow,  but  when  numbers  were  in- 
creased and  new  churches  were  formed  along  the  lines  of  emi- 
gration, and  ministers  and  evangelists  were  orflained  and  sent 
cut  to  preach  the  Word,  and  the  missionary  spirit  was  devel- 
oped among  the  people,  there  came  with  that  spirit  the  desire 
for  Seventh-day  Baptist  publications,  and  especially  for  a  de- 
nominational paper  or  periodical,  as  a  medium  of  communi- 
cation among  the  widely  scattered  churches  and  ])eo])le.  and 
a  means  of  religious  culture,  unity  and  co-operation.  This  de- 
sire found  expression  in  the  year  1819,  among  brethren  residing 
at  Schenectadv,  N.  Y.,  who  united  in  an  effort  to  organize  and 


422  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

maintain,  through  a  stock  company,  a  Seventh-clay  Baptist 
pubhshing  estabHshment,  which  should  issue  a  denominational 
periodical  and  such  other  publications  as  the  circumstances 
might  seem  to  demand.  The  project  failed  because  it  did  not 
receive  sufficient  financial  encouragement." 

The  agitation  of  the  subject,  however,  was  not  without 
its  fruitage.  Attention  was  so  generally  directed  to  the  im- 
portance of  some  medium  of  communication  between  the  wide- 
ly-scattered brethren  and  churches,  and  so  much  interest  in  the 
subject  was  awakened,  that  in  the  year  182 1  the  denominational 
Missionary  Society  determined  to  commence  the  publication  of 
a  periodical ;  and  accordingly,  in  August  of  that  year,  issued 
the  first  number  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Maga- 
zine. Sixteen  numbers  of  this  work  were  printed  in  about  four 
years,  when  it  was  discontinued,  in  consequence,  mainly,  of 
inadequate  support. 

On  the  14th  of  April,  1830,  some  five  years  after  the  dis- 
continuance of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine, 
the  Protestant  Sentinel,  the  first  weekly  periodical  established 
with  a  view  to  promote  our  denominational  interests,  was  is- 
sued from  Homer,  N.  Y.,  with  the  approbation  and  recommen- 
dation of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference  and  the 
Seventh-Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  This  paper  was  pub- 
lished by  Deacon  John  Maxson,  of  Homer,  N.  Y.,  four  years 
at  Homer,  two  years  at  Schenectady,  and  two  years  at  DeRuy- 
ter,  N.  Y.  The  removals  from  Homer  to  Schenectady,  and 
then  from  Schenectady  to  DeRuyter,  were  macte  with  the  hope 
of  increasing  the  patronage  of  the  paper,  which  had  always 
been  inadequate  to  its  support.  They  did  not,  however,  serve 
to  place  the  establishment  on  a  living  and  permanent  founda- 
tion ;  and  consequently  the  paper,  after  several  suspensions,  was 
discontinued  with  the  issue  of  May  21,  1839. 

The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Register  was  the  next  paper  is- 
sued for  the  benefit  of  the  denomination.  The  first  number 
of  it  came  forth  from  DeRuyter,  N.  Y.,  on  the  loth  day  of 
March,  1840.  It  was  published  weekly  for  four  years,  and 
then  discontinued,  on  account  of  negotiations  between  the  pub- 
lisher and  a  brother  residing  at  the  East,  for  its  transfer  to  the 
city  of  New  York.  These  negotiations  having  failed,  however, 
snd  the  denomination  being  left  without  a  periodical  organ,  a 


CHARL1-:S  potti-;k. 

Ses    Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361. 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  423 

number  of  brethren  residing  in  New  Jersey,  who  were  desirous 
of  having  the  denominational  paper  issued  from  the  city  of 
Xew  York,  entered  into  negotiations  with  the  former  pub- 
hsher  of  the  Register,  for  the  transfer  to  them  of  his  "sub- 
scription Hst,  patronage,  and  favor" — an  arrangement  which 
was  amicably  consum.mated,  thus  opening  the  way  for  the  de- 
sired change  in  the  location  of  the  paper.  At  the  same  time, 
eleven  brethren,  anxious  that  the  paper  should  commence  at  an 
early  day,  and  convinced  from  former  experiments  that  its  pub- 
lication would  be  attended  with  considerable  risk,  formed  them- 
selves into  an  Association,  with  an  Executive  Committee  of 
three,  for  the  purpose  of  bearing  mutually  any  loss  which  might 
result  from  the  enterprise.  Under  this  arrangement,  the  first 
number  of  the  Sabbath  Recorder  was  issued  from  the  city  of 
New  York  on  the  14th  day  of  June,  1844.  During  the  first 
}ear  of  its  publication  the  receipts  of  the  paper  fell  short  of  its 
expenses,  and  the  deficiency  was  made  up  by  the  persons  asso- 
ciated. The  second,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  volumes  of  the 
paper  were  published  under  the  direction  of  the  same  com- 
mittee, the  income  from  the  business  equaling  expenses,  so  that 
no  demand  was  made  upon  the  associates  after  the  close  of  the 
first  year, 

THE   SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTIST    PUBLISHING   SOCIETY. 

Its  Origin. 

One  of  the  most  important  questions  brought  before  the 
Eastern  Association,  at  its  meeting  in  May,  1848,  related  to 
the  condition  and  prospects  of  our  denominational  publications. 
It  was  then  stated,  that  the  Sabbath  Recorder  had  been  pub- 
lished nearly  four  years,  under  the  direction  of  a  few  brethren 
associated  together  for  that  specific  and  sole  purpose,  and  that 
there  was  a  desire  on  the  part  of  many  others  to  have  its  pro- 
prietorship extended,  so  that  it  might  become  in  fact  the  prop- 
erty of  the  denomination,  and  form  the  nucleus  of  a  denomina- 
tional publishing  establishment.  After  a  free  interchange  of 
views  upon  the  subject,  and  an  assurance  from  the  brethren 
associated  that  they  were  quite  willing  to  make  any  arrange- 
ments which  would  be  likely  to  promote  the  general  interests, 
the  Association  passed  the  following  resolution : 


424  SEVENTH-U.W   I'.APTISTS: 

Whereas,  our  experience  for  years  past  in  the  publishing  department, 
has  convinced  us  that  in  order  to  meet  the  growing  wants  of  the 
denomination,  w^e  need  a  more  ample  and  permanent  publishing 
organization  than  we  have  ever  had  :  therefore — 

Resolved,  That  we  invite  the  several  sister  associations,  each  to  appoint 
three  delegates  to  meet  with  the  same  number  appointed  by  this 
association,  at  New  Market,  N.  J.,  on  the  fifth  day  of  September, 
1848,  to  mature  a  plan  for  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  Publishing  Estab- 
lishment. 

Lucius  Crandall  and  George  B.  Utter  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  lay  the  subject  of  the  above  resolution  before  the 
other  Associations,  in  order  to  secure  the  appointment  by  them 
of  delegates  to  meet  those  appointed  by  the  Eastern  Associa- 
tion. They  accordingly  laid  it  before  the  Central  and  West- 
ern Associations,  both  of  which  bodies  appointed  the  specified 
number  of  delegates.  The  committee  were  prevented  from 
laying  the  matter  before  the  South-Western  and  Wisconsin 
Associations,  by  the  lateness  of  the  meeting  of  the  former,  and 
a  mistake  as  to  the  time  of  meeting  of  the  latter. 

In  compliance  with  these  appointments,  the  following 
brethren  met  at  New  Market,  N.  J.,  on  the  fifth  day  of  Sep- 
tember, 1848,  to  consider  the  best  means  of  promoting  and 
giving  permanency  to  our  publishing  interests,  viz :  Lucius 
Crandall,  David  Dunn  and  Thomas  B.  Stillman,  of  the  Eastern 
Association ;  Eli  S.  Bailey,  William  B.  Alaxson,  and  James 
Bailey,  of  the  Central  Association ;  and  Nathan  V.  Hull  and 
John  A.  Langworthv,  of  the  Western  Association  (Leman 
A.ndrus,  the  third  from  the  Western  Association,  being  unable 
to  attend).  These  delegates  formed  themselves  into  a  con- 
vention, by  appointing  Eli  S.  Bailey,  Moderator,  and  James 
Bailey,  Secretary.  The  first  question  which  came  up  was  in 
regard  to  the  necessity  of  a  new  organization.  The  subject 
was  freely  discussed,  and  a  resolution  was  at  length  unani- 
mously passed,  that  such  an  organization  is  needed,  and  that  it 
is  expedient  for  the  convention  to  prepare  a  constitution  for  it. 
There  was  some  difficulty  in  deciding  what  form  of  organiza- 
tion would  best  suit  the  denomination,  and  at  the  same  time 
answer  the  requirements  of  the  general  law  passed  by  the  State 
of  New  York  for  the  incorporation  of  benevolent  societies,  un- 
der which  it  was  proposed  to  act.  It  was  finally  agreed,  that 
no  form  would  answer  all  purj^oses  so  well  as  a  regular  society, 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  4-25 

and  accordingly  the  following  constitution  was  prepared,  and 
received  the  hearty  sanction  of  all  the  delegates : 

Article  i.  This  Society  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of 
"The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Publishing  Society." 

Article  2.  The  object  of  this  Society  shall  be  to  print  and 
publish  such  periodicals,  books,  etc.,  as  shall  meet  the  wants 
of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  denomination,  and  promote  the 
cause  of  Christ  generally. 

Article  3.  Each  contributor  of  five  dollars  may  become 
a  member  of  the  Society,  and  each  contributor  of  twenty-five 
dollars  may  become  an  Honorary  Director,  with  the  privilege 
of  participating  in  the  deliberations  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

Article  4.  The  Society  shall  hold  an  annual  meeting,  at 
which  it  shall  elect  a  President,  one  or  more  Vice-Presidents,  a 
Corresponding  Secretary,  a  Recording  Secretary,  and  a 
Treasurer,  who,  together  with  four  others  elected  for  the  pur- 
pose, shall  constitute  a  Board  of  Managers  to  conduct  the 
business  of  the  society,  having  power  to  make  their  own  by- 
laws, and  to  fill  any  vacancies  that  may  occur  in  their  body. 
Three  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

Article  5.  The  Board  of  Managers  shall  meet  quarterly 
for  the  transaction  of  business,  at  such  time  and  place  as  shall 
have  been  appointed  at  a  ])revious  meeting.  The  Recording 
Secretary  shall  call  extra  meetings  of  the  Board,  whenever  any 
three  members  of  the  Board  shall  request  him  to  do  so. 

Article  6.  The  minutes  of  each  meeting  of  the  Board 
shall  be  signed  by  the  Chairman  and  the  Recording  Secretary. 

Article  7.  The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  Society  shall 
be  held  in  the  city  of  New  York  on  the  fourth  day  of  the  week 
before  the  fourth  Sabbath  in  May,  1849  (23i'd  day  of  the 
n^onth  )  ;  and  subsequent  rmnual  meetings  may  be  held  at  such 
times  and  places  as  the  Society  shall  direct.  At  these  meetings 
the  Board  of  Managers  shall  ])resent  a  report  of  their  transac- 
tions, together  with  the  Treasurer's  account. 

Article  8.  Should  there  at  any  time,  on  the  presentation 
of  the  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  be  a  surplus 
on  hand,  over  and  above  what  may.  in  the  judgment  of  the 
Board,  be  required  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  estal)lishnient,  the 
Society  shall  divide  such  surplus  in  equal  sums  among  the  fol- 
lowing benevolent   objects,   viz:   missions;   the   circulation   of 


A26  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

religious  tracts ;  the  education  of  candidates  for  the  ministry ; 
and  the  support  of  indigent,  superannuated  ministers  or  their 
widows  and  orphans.  Should  the  Society  for  any  reason  be 
dissolved,  its  property,  if  any,  shall  be  divided  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  above  provided  in  case  of  surplus. 

Article  9.  This  constitution  may  be  altered  at  any  an- 
nual meeting  of  the  Society,  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the 
members  present. 

The  convention,  having  thus  completed  the  work  of  fram- 
ing a  constitution,  appointed  a  Prudential  Committee,  consist- 
ing of  Lucius  Crandall,  Thomas  B.  Stillman  and  George  B. 
Utter,  to  take  such  steps  as  they  should  deem  necessary  to  se- 
cure members  and  prepare  for  the  organization  of  the  society. 

Agreeably  to  a  call  published  in  The  Sahh.ath  Recorder,  a 
number  of  brethren  met  at  the  Seventh-day  meeting  house  in 
New  York  City  on  May  22,,  1849,  ^i""^!  received  the  foregoing 
report,  adopted  the  constitution  as  presented,  and  elected  the 
following  oflficers : 

President — Lucius  Crandall,  of  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Vice-Presidents— Matthew  Wells,  Jr.,  of  DeRuyter.  N.Y. ; 
Joshua  B.  Maxson,  of  Stephentown,  N.  Y. ;  Charles  Potter, 
Sr.,  of  Adams,  N.  Y. ;  John  A.  Langworthy,  of  Genesee,  N.  Y. ; 
Nathan  V.  Hull,  of  Alfred,  N.  Y. 

Corresponding  Secretary — Thomas  B.  Stillman,  of  New 
York  City. 

Recording  Secretary — George  B.  Utter,  of  New  York 
City. 

Treasurer — Benedict  W.  Rogers,  of  Williamsburg,  L.  L 

Trustees — George  Greenman,  of  Alystic,  Conn. ;  John  D. 
Titsworth,  of  Plainfield,  N.  J. ;  W"illiam  M.  Rogers,  of  Brook- 
lyn, L.  L;  Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  of  Shiloh,  N.  J. 

The  record  of  this  first  annual  meeting  cites  the  fact  that 
Brother  Lucius  Crandall  had  served  the  society  in  securing 
members  forty-seven  days  at  a  salary  of  $20  per  month,  and 
his  report  noted  the  receipt  of  a  pair  of  gloves  and  a  pair  of 
stockings,  both  worth  fifty  cents.  He  also  reported  that  nego- 
tiations had  been  entered  into  with  the  Publishing  Committee 
of  The  Sabbath  Recorder,  and  by  them  the  paper  with  its  equip- 
ment and  patronage  was  offered  to  the  society  for  $295,  and 
on  these  terms  the  society  purchased  The  Sabbath  Recorder, 


REV.     GEORGE  B.  UTTER,  D.  D. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,  p.   1361, 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  427 

rnd  secured  George  B.  Utter  as  editor  and  general  agent  of 
the  society,  and  Thomas  B.  Brown  as  joint  editor.  At  the 
meeting  of  the  Board  in  July,  1849,  Thomas  B.  Stillman,  as 
Corresponding  Secretary,  and  George  B.  Utter  as  Recording 
Secretary,  exchanged  offices,  the  office  of  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary being  more  naturally  in  the  line  of  Brother  Utter's 
work  as  editor  and  general  agent. 

This  society  published  The  Sabb.ath  Recorder  from  1849 
to  1862;  The  Sabbath  School  Visitor  from  1851  to  i860;  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial  from  1852  to  1854;  and  a  col- 
lection of  hymns  entitled  "The  Carol,"  in  January,  1855. 

These  were  its  only  publications,  the  essential  work  of  the 
society  being  the  publication  of  The  Sabbath  Recorder. 

The  society  relied  entirely  for  pecuniary  means  upon  the 
income  from  its  publications,  receiving  no  contributions  from 
the  people  to  support  the  work. 

The  receipts  were  as  follows: 

1849    $  4,112  62 

1850    3,184  60 

1851    3.568  03 

1852    3.674  21 

1853    4,501    16 

1854    3-298  16 

1855    3.794  41 

1856    3,5-21  70 

1857 3,164  06 

1858    3.062  31 

1859 2,546  49 

i860 4,711  60 


$43,139  35 

This  was  an  average  of  $3,600  a  year. 

This  income  supported  the  work  well  until  1859-60,  when 
the  receipts  fell  ofif  (owing  in  part  to  the  financial  stringency 
ot  the  times),  but  by  special  efforts  in  i860  nearly  $5,000  were 
secured,  enabling  the  society  to  pay  all  expenses  for  the  year 
and  to  liquidate  $1,000  of  its  indebtedness,  the  indebtedness 
being  paid  in  full  later  ;  but  financial  difficulties  seemed  to  con- 
tinue, so  in  1862  The  Recorder  was  transferred  by  sale  to 
George  B.  Utter,  individually.     The  Publishing  Society  main- 


428  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS  : 

tained  its  existence  as  a  separate  organization  until  1866;  but 
the  last  three  years  no  work  is  recorded  as  having  been  done  by 
the  society,  except  to  elect  officers  at  the  annual  meetings. 
The  officers  of  the  society  were : 

Presidents — Lucius  Crandall,  1849-1857;  William  B.  Maxson,  1857- 
1859;  Nathan  V.  Hull,  1859-1865;  Jonathan  Allen,  1865-1866. 

Vice  Presidents — Matthew  Wells,  Jr.,  1849-1850;  Joshua  B.  Max- 
son,  1849-185(5^;  Chas.  Potter,  Sr.,  1849-1857,  and  1860-1861 ;  John  A. 
Langvvorthy,  1849-1857,  and  1861-1866;  Nathan  V.  Hull,  1849-1859; 
William  B.  Maxson,  1850-1857;  James  H.  Cochran,  1850-1853;  David 
Dunn,  1850-1857;  Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  1850-1857;  Alfred  B.  Burdick, 
1850-1857;  Stillman  Coon,  1850-1856;  James  Bailey,  1853-1857;  Wm. 
Dunn,  1853-1857;  Eli  S.  Bailey,  1855-1857;  James  R.  Irish,  1855-1857; 
Benj.  Maxson,  1855-1857;  Abram  D.  Titsworth,  1855-1857;  Ephraim 
Maxson,  1855-1857;  Nathan  Rogers,  1855-1857;  George  Irish,  1855- 
1857;  Martin  Wilcox,  1855-1856;  Christopher  Langworthy,  1855-1856; 
J.  M.  Allen,  1855-1856;  D.  C.  Barber,  1855-1856;  David  Rogers,  2d, 
1856-1857;  Jonathan  Allen,  1857-1858;  Chas.  M.  Lewis,  1857-1858;  J. 
Croffut,  1858-1859;  Leman  Andrus,  1859-1866;  George  Greenman,  1859- 
1861;  T.  E.  Babcock,  1859-1860;  Jason  B.  Wells,  1861-1866. 

Corresponding  Secretaries — Thos.  B.  Stillman,  1849-1850;  Geo.  B. 
Utter,  1849-1859;  Jonathan  Allen,  1859-1860;  William  C.  Kenyon,  1860- 
i865;Thos.  R.  Williams,  1865-1866. 

Recording  Secretaries — George  B.  Utter,  1849-1850;  Thos.  B.  Still- 
man, 1849-1859;  David  R.  Stillman,  1859-1866. 

Treasurers — Benedict  W.  Rogers,  1849-1853;  William  M.  Rogers, 
1853-1857;  Eliphalet  Lyon,  1857-1859;  Clarke  Rogers,  1859-1866. 

Trustees — William  M.  Rogers,  1849-1850;  Isaac  D.  Titsworth, 
1849-1850;  George  Greenman,  1849-1851 ;  John  D.  Titsworth,  1849-1858; 
Walter  B.  Gillette,  1850-1855;  Randolph  Dunham,  1850-1857;  Jonathan 
Maxson,  Jr.,  1851-1855;  Clarke  Rogers,  1855-1857;  P.  L.  Berry,  1855- 
1859;  Lucius  Crandall,  1857-1859;  David  Dunn,  1857-1859;  William 
Dunn,  1858-1859;  B.  F.  Langworthy,  1859-1866;  Elisha  Potter,  1850- 
1866;  George  Maxson,  1859-1863;  Gordon  Evans,  1859-1860;  Barton  M. 
Millard,  1860-1866. 

THE    SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTIST    GENERAL    TRACT    SOCIETY. 

The  first  action  looking  toward  a  concerted  effort  for  the 
publication  and  circulation  of  tracts  was  taken  at  the  close  of 
Conference  in  1831.  Previous  to  that  time  there  had  been  no 
united  efiforts,  but  a  few  tracts  had  been  published  on  indi- 
vidual responsibility.  Probably  the  earliest  attempt  at  tract 
literature  upon  the  Sabbath  question  was  the  publication  of  a 
tract  by  Jonathan  Davis  in  1740,  entitled,  "Some  Queries  sent 
to  the  Rev.  George  Whitefield,  in  the  year  1740,  which  remain 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  429 

yet  unanswered."  Mr.  Davis  had  waited  two  years  for  an- 
swer to  his  queries,  and  receiving  none,  pubHshed  the  tract. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  General  Conference  in  1831. 
the  following  resolution  was  presented  to  the  members  of  the 
Conference   (generally  met  together),  and  approved: 

"Resolved,  That  we  recommend  the  formation  of  tract 
societies  in  the  several  churches  and  societies  in  our  connection, 
for  the  encouragement  of  publishing  and  circulating  tracts 
which  may  be  written  in  accordance  with  our  views  of  Bible 
truth  ;  and  that  these  societies  become  auxiliary  to  a  General 
Tract  Executive  Committee,  which  shall  be  annually  appoint- 
ed by  the  General  Conference  for  procuring,  examining  and 
publishing  such  tracts,  as,  in  their  opinion,  may  be  thought  use- 
ful in  promoting  the  views  of  this  General  Conference,  and  that 
the  American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society's  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  be  the  committee  for  the  year  ensuing." 

In  1832  the  Conference  reappointed  the  committee,  and 
in  1834  recommended  the  churches  to  form  tract  societies  and 
use  due  exertions  to  obtain  funds  to  form  a  general  tract  so- 
ciety. 

In  September,  1835,  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General 
Tract  Society,  also  called  the  American  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Tract  Society,  was  organized,  and  commenced  the  issuing  of 
tracts  and  other  literature  with  John  Maxson  as  general  agent. 

In  1836  a  committee  consisting  of  William  B.  Maxson, 
John  Maxson  and  W.  D.  Cochran  was  appointed  to  write  or 
procure  the  manuscript  of  suitable  tracts  for  the  use  of  the 
Tract  Society  and  for  distribution.  Six  tracts  were  published 
in  1838,  in  editions  of  2,000  each,  but  as  no  more  original 
tracts  were  presented  for  publication,  the  Publishing  Commit- 
tee advised  the  purchasing  of  tracts  from  the  American  Tract 
Society  of  New  York  City,  which  was  done.  The  society 
continued  until  1843  ^""^l  accomplished  what  it  could  under 
adverse  circumstances  in  the  distribution  of  these  tracts.  The 
financial  transactions  during  these  years  were  not  large,  as 
the  total  receipts  for  1838  were  only  $27.68;  1839,  $34.50; 
1843.  $138.74. 

The  officers,  so  far  as  records  show  that  could  be  secured, 
were : 


430  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

Presidents — David  Clawson,  1837-1838;  William  B.  Maxson,  1838- 
1843. 

Vice  Presidents — Benedict  Wescott,  1837-1843;  Walter  B.  Gillette, 
1837-1843;  John  Whitford,  1837-1843;  Abram  D.  Titsworth,  1837-1843; 
Lucius  Crandall,  1837-1843. 

Recording  Secretaries — S.  M.  Burdick,  1837-1841 ;  William  C.  Ken- 
yon,  1838-1839;  F.  W.  Stillman,  1841-1843. 

Corresponding  Secretaries — George  Tomlinson,  1837-1838;  William 
D.  Cochran,  1838- 1839. 

Treasurers — William  Maxson,  1837-1841 ;  F.  W.  Stillman,  1841- 
1843. 

Directors — William  Satterlee,  1837-1838;  Nathan  V.  Hull,  1837- 
1839;  S.  B.  Crandall,  1837-1838;  B.  C.  Church,  1837-1838;  M.  Wells, 
Jr.,  1837-1838;  Adin  Burdick,  1837-1841 ;  Martin  Wilcox,  1837-1838; 
Joel  Greene,  1837-1838;  Orson  Campbell,  1837-1838;  Azor  Estee,  1838- 
1843;  Ephraim  Maxson,  1838-1843;  Jason  B.  Wells,  1838-1841 ;  Thos  B. 
Stillman,  1838-1843;  Collins  S.  Young,  1838-1843;  Benj.  F.  Langworthy, 
1838-1841 ;  Orra  Stillman,  1838-1843;  James  H.  Cochran.  1839-1843; 
J.  M.  Maxson,  Jr.,  1841-1843;  John  Maxson,  1841-1843;  Alfred  Still- 
man 1841-1843. 

Publishing  Committee — John  Maxson,  1837-1841 ;  Solomon  Car- 
penter, 1837-1841 ;  James  Bailey,  1837-1838;  Orson  Campbell,  1837-1838; 
William  B.  Maxson,  1838-1843;  William  Maxson,  1838-1839;  Thos.  B. 
Brown,  1841-1843;  Thos.  B.  Stillman,  1841-1843. 

Trustees — Orson  Campbell,  1837-1839;  Martin  Wilcox,  1837-1839; 
Henry  Crandall,  1837-1839. 

General  Agents — John  Maxson,  1835-1837;  W.  D.  Cochran,  1837- 
1838;  Barton  G.  Stillman,  1838-1841 ;  Paul  Stillman,  1841-1843. 

SOCIETY   FOR   THE    PROMOTION    OF    CHRISTIANITY    AMONG    JEWS. 

In  1838  a  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christianity 
Among  the  Jews  was  organized  and  continued  a  few  years.  It 
published  for  distribution  among  the  Jews  a  tract  entitled  "An 
Inquiry  into  the  Prophetic  Character  of  the  Messiah,"  written 
by  William  B.  Maxson  in  1839. 

David  Dunn  was  President  and  the  other  officials  were 
Eli  S.  Bailey,  Stillman  Coon,  Isaac  H.  Dunn,  Thomas  S.  Al- 
berti,  Thomas  B.  Stillman,  William  B.  Maxson,  Walter  B. 
Gillette,  Randolph  Dunham,  Abram  D.  Titsworth.  Randolph 
Dunn,  John  D.  Titsworth,  Asa  Dunn,  George  P.  INIaxson, 
Charles  H.  Stillman,  Lucius  Crandall. 

Several  insuperable  difficulties  impeded  the  progress  and 
success  of  the  work  of  this  society,  and  after  a  few  years  the 
labor  was  abandoned. 


TRACT  SOCIETY.    •  43I 

THE   NEW   YORK   CITY   SABBATH    TRACT   SOCIETY. 

In  June,  1842,  a  local  society  was  organized  under  the 
name  of  the  New  York  City  Sabbath  Tract  Society.  The  ob- 
ject of  the  society  was  to  disseminate  the  Bible  doctrine  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  collect  and  maintain  a  library  of  publications  re- 
lating to  the  Sabbath. 

The  society  obtained  the  manuscripts  for  several  tracts 
which  were  printed  at  its  expense.  It  also  arranged  for  the 
publication  of  The  Sabbath  J'i>idicafor,  a  periodical  whose  ob- 
ject was  the  thorough  discussion  of  all  phases  of  the  Sabbath 
qi^stion.  George  B.  Utter  was  its  editor  and  wrote  most  of 
the  matter  contained  in  its  early  issues.  In  February,  1845,  the 
New  York  City  Sabbath  Tract  Society  was  absorbed  in  its 
v/ork  of  publishing  by  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society. 

THE    AMERICAN    SABBATH    TRACT    SOCIETY. 

On  September  7th,  1843,  ^t  the  anniversary  meeting  of 
the  "Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Tract  Society,"  held  at 
Plainfield,  N.  ].,  Lucius  Crandall  presented  the  following  reso- 
lution, which  was  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  present  a  plan 
for  the  reorganization  of  this  society.  Lucius  Crandall, 
Thomas  ]\I.  Clark,  Nathan  V.  Hull,  Daniel  Coon,  and  Azor 
Estee  were  named  as  the  committee.  This  committee  report- 
ed the  next  day,  September  8th,  1843,  the  following  constitu- 
tion, which  was  adopted : 

CONSTITUTION. 

Article  I.  This  society  shall  be  known  as  the  General  Sabbath 
Tract  Society;  and  its  object  shall  be  to  promote  the  observance  of  the 
Bible  Sabbath,  and  the  interests  of  vital  Godliness  and  sound  morality, 
by  the  circulation  of  religious  tracts. 

Art.  II.  Each  person  contributing  annually  to  the  Society  shall 
be  a  member,  and  each  subscriber  of  twenty  dollars  at  one  time  shall 
be  a  member  for  life;  each  subscriber  of  fifty  dollars  at  one  time,  or 
who  shall  by  additional  payments  increase  his  original  subscription  to 
fifty  dollars,  shall  be  a  director  for  life.  Annual  subscribers  shall  be 
entitled  to  receive  half  the  amount  of  their  subscriptions  in  tracts;  life 
members,  1000  pages  annually;  and  life  directors,  2000  pages  annually. 

Art.  III.  The  Society  shall  hold  its  annual  meetings  at  the  time 
and  place  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference,  and  shall 
elect  a  president,  vice  presidents,  two  corresponding  secretaries,  a  re- 
cording secretary,  a  treasurer,  and  directors,  who,  with  an  annual  dele- 


432  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

gate  from  each  auxiliary  society,  shall  constitute  a  board  to  conduct 
the  business  of  the  Society. 

Art.  IV.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  corresponding  secretaries  to 
conduct  the  correspondence  of  the  Society  and  of  the  Board,  and  to 
prepare,  under  the  direction  of  the  Board,  their  Annual  Report. 

Art.  V.  The  recording  secretary  shall  notify  members  of  the 
meetings  and  keep  minutes  of  the  Society  and  of  the  board. 

Art.  VI.  The  treasurer  shall  take  charge  of  all  the  funds,  and 
report  the  state  of  the  treasury  at  each  stated  meeting  of  the  board. 

Art.  VII.  The  board  shall  hold  monthly  stated  meetings  and  shall 
fill  all  vacancies  of  their  own  body ;  shall  aid  in  forming  auxiliaries, 
and  appoint  such  agents  as  they  may  deem  necessary  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  Society ;  shall  examine  all  such  tracts  as  may  be  pro- 
posed for  publication ;  shall  use  all  proper  means  to  circulate  the  tracts, 
and  shall  annually  report  their  proceedings  to  the  Society. 

Art.  VIII.  Any  tract  Society  formed  to  aid  the  objects  of  this 
society,  and  annually  contributing  a  donation  to  its  treasury,  shall  be 
considered  an  auxiliary;  and  the  president  and  secretary  of  such  aux- 
iliary, for  the  time  being  shall  be  ex-officio  members  of  this  Society. 

Art.  IX.  A  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  a  meeting 
of  this  Society,  regularly  convened,  shall  be  necessary  to  amend  this 
constitution. 

Art.  X,  Three  members  of  the  board  shall  constitute  a  quorum  to 
transact  business  of  the  Society. 

At  the  anniversary  of  the  General  Sabbath  Tract  Society, 
held  at  Verona,  N.  Y.,  in  September,  1844,  Article  I  of  the 
preceding  constitution  was  amended,  by  substituting  the  word 
American  for  the  word  General  in  the  title,  so  from  this  date 
the  society  has  been  known  as  "The  Ainerican  Sabbath  Tract 
Society." 

The  officers  elected  to  serve  the  first  year  of  the  new  or- 
ganization, September,  1843,  to  September,  1844,  were  as  fol- 
lows : 

President — Lucius  Crandall. 

Vice  Presidents — J.  P.  Labagh,  David  Dunn,  Alfred  Stillman. 
Corresponding  Secretaries — Paul  Stillman,  Geo.  B.  Utter. 
Recording  Secretary — F.  W.  Stillman. 

Directors — John  Whitford,  Solomon  Carpenter,  Wm.  B.  Maxson, 
Thos.  B.  Brown,  Clarke  Rogers. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  held  in  New  York  City,  Octo- 
ber 15,  1843,  ^  constitution  for  auxiliary  societies  was  adopted, 
and  these  were  maintained  many  years  throughout  the    de- 
nomination as  valuable  adjuncts  to  the  society's  work. 
(27) 


Rl-:\\  JAMI'S   BAILKY. 
See    Bioi^rapJiical    Sketches,    p.    1361. 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  433 

"The  American  Sabbath  Tract  Sf^^ciety"'  was  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York  on  April  9th,  1856. 

CHARTER. 

Whereas,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-three, 
a  Society  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  sustaining  the  Tract  Enter- 
prise of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Denomination  under  the  name  and 
title  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society :  and 

JJ'hereas,  said  Society  has  heretofore  continued  to  act  in  behalf  of 
such  object  in  an  unincorporated  capacity,  and  being  now  desirous  of 
becoming  a  body  corporate  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  having  been  duly  authorized  by  a  vote  of  said  Society  and  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  : 

We,  the  undersigned,  members  of  said  Board,  do  hereby  certify  for 
ourselves  and  associates,  in  conformity  with  the  laws  in  such  case 
made  and  provided,  viz  : 

1st.  That  the  name  of  said  Society  to  be  known  in  law  shall  be 
"American  Sabbath  Tract  Society." 

2d.  The  object  of  said  Society  shall  be  to  promote  the  Scriptural 
observance  of  the  Sabbath  in  connection  with  the  interests  of  vita! 
Godliness  and  sound  morality  by  the  circulation  of  religious  tracts  and 
the  employment  of  colporteurs  and  lecturers. 

3d.  That  the  number  of  directors  to  manage  the  same  shall  be 
twelve  or  more. 

4th.  That  the  names  of  the  Directors  for  the  present  and  first 
year  of  its  corporate  existence  are,  according  to  previous  elections,  as 
follows : 

N.  V.  Hull,  Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  Wm.  H.  Rogers,  Nicholas  Rogers, 
J.  Croffut,  A.  D.  Titsworth,  S.  S.  Griswold,  Geo.  Tomlinson,  Nathan 
Rogers,  George  B.  Utter,  Lucius  Crandall,  Walter  B.  Gillette,  A.  B. 
Spaulding,  J.  P.  Hunting,  J.  Whitford,  Chas.  Ma.xson,  Varnum  Hull, 
Jared  Kenyon,  J.  R.  Irish,  H.  H.  Baker,  T.  B.  Stillman,  Wm.  B. 
Ma.xson,  David  Dunn. 

5th.  That  the  usual  and  ])ermanent  place  of  business  of  said 
Society  is  the  City  of  New  York. 

N..\THAN    V.    HULU,         (L.    S.) 

Jonathan    Croffut,  (  L.  S.) 

H.  H.  Baker,  (L.  S.) 

T.  B.  Stillman,  (L.  S.) 

Geo.  B.  Utter,  (L.  S.) 

City  and  County  ok  New  York,  ss. 

On  the  ninth  day  of  .April,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  tifty-six,  before  me  came  Nathan  V.  Hull,  Jonathan  Croffut,  Halsey 
H.  Baker,  Thomas  B.  Stillman,  and  George  B.  Utter,  to  mc  known  to 
be  the  individuals  described  in  and  who  have  executed  the  within  cer- 


4-34  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

tificate,    and    they    severally    acknowledged    to    me    that    they    executed 
the  same.  Thos.  Macfarlane,  Commissioner  of  Deeds. 

Approved  April  lo,  1856. 

J.  R.  Whiting,  Justice  of  the 

Supreme  Court  of  the  First  District. 
PRESENT  CONSTITUTION. 

Article  i.  This  Society  shall  be  known  as  The  American  Sabbath 
Tract  Society;  and  its  object  shall  be  to  promote  the  observance  of 
the  Bible  Sabbath,  and  the  interests  of  vital  godliness  and  soimd 
morality,  by  the  publication  and  circulation  of  such  periodicals,  tracts, 
treatises,  and  books  as  shall  best  conduce  to  the  objects  of  its  organi- 
zation ;   and  the  employment  of  colporteurs  and  lecturers. 

Art.  2.  All  Seventh-day  Baptist  churches  contributing  to  the 
funds  of  this  Society  shall  have  a  voice  in  its  meetings  through  dele- 
gates appointed  by  them,  upon  the  same  basis  of  representation  as  in  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference.  When  any  church  shall 
neglect  to  appoint  delegates  to  any  session  of  this  Society,  the  delegates 
last  appointed  by  such  church  to  said  General  Conference,  or  to  a 
regular  meeting  of  the  Society,  shall  be  recognized  as  delegates  to 
such  session.  Any  person  may  become  a  life  member  of  this  Society 
by  the  payment  into  its  Treasury  of  twenty  dollars,  in  not  more  than 
two  payments,  by  himself,  or  herself,  or  by  any  member  of  his  or  her 
family  for  that  purpose.  The  money  so  paid  shall  be  used  in  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  Executive  Board,  for  any  of  the  legitimate  purposes  of 
this  Society.  Each  life  member  constituted  under  this  article,  or 
regularly  constituted  heretofore,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  in  any  meeting 
of  this  Society.  Each  life  member  shall  be  entitled  to  receive,  annually 
for  distribution,  one  thousand  pages  of  the  tracts  published  by  this 
Society,  and  any  other  person  shall  be  entitled  to  receive 
annually  such  tracts  to  the  value  of  one-half  of  his  contribution  to  the 
General  Fund  of  the  Society  for  any  given  year. 

Art.  3.  The  Society  shall  hold  an  annual  meeting  at  such  time 
and  place  as  shall  have  been  agreed  upon  at  a  previous  annual  meeting, 
and  shall  then  elect  a  President,  Vice  Presidents,  a  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary, a  Recording  Secretary,  a  Treasurer,  and  Directors,  who  with 
an  annual  delegate  from  each  auxiliary  society,  shall  constitute  a  Board 
to  conduct  the  business  of  the  Society. 

Art.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary  to 
conduct  the  correspondence  of  the  Society  and  of  the  Board,  and  to 
prepare,  under  the  direction  of  the  Board,  their  Annual  Report. 

Art.  5.  The  Recording  Secretary  shall  notify  members  of  the 
meetings,  and  keep  the  minutes  of  the  Society  and  of  the  Board. 

Art.  6.  The  treasurer  shall  take  charge  of  all  funds,  and  pay  them 
out  only  on  orders  of  the  Board,  make  quarterly  reports  of  the  condi- 
tion of  the  treasury  to  the  Board,  and  an  annual  report  to  be  incor- 
porated in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Board.  He  shall  also  keep  a  list 
of  all  members  of  the  Society. 

Art.  7.     The  Board  shall  hold  monthly  stated  meetings,  and  shall 


IRA  J.  ORDWAY. 
See     Biographical    Sketches,   p.   1361. 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  435 

fill  all  vacancies  in  their  own  body ;  shall  aid  in  forming  auxiliaries, 
and  appoint  such  agents  as  they  may  deem  necessary  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  Society ;  shall  examine  all  such  tracts  as  may  be  pro- 
posed for  publication ;  shall  use  all  proper  means  to  circulate  the  tracts, 
and  shall  annually  report  their  proceedings  to  the  Society. 

Art.  8.  Any  tract  society  formed  to  aid  the  objects  of  this  Society, 
and  annually  contributing  a  donation  to  its  treasury,  shall  be  consid- 
ered an  auxiliary;  and  the  President  and  Secretary  of  such  auxiliary, 
for  the  time  being,  shall  be  ex-officio  members  of  this   Society. 

Art.  9.  A  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Society,  regularly  convened,  shall  be  necessary  to  amend  this 
Constitution. 

Art.  10.  Three  members  of  the  Board  shall  constitute  a  quorum  tc 
transact  business  of  the  Society. 

OFFICERS,  1901-1902. 

President — J.  Frank  Hubbard,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

I'ice-Presidents — Stephen  Babcock,  David  E.  Titsworth,  Rev. 
Leander  E.  Livermore.  Rev.  Asa  B.  Prentice,  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main, 
Rev.  Edward  B.  Saunders.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  Rev.  George  M. 
Cottrell. 

Corresponding  Secretary — Rev.  A.  Herbert  Lewis,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Treasurer — Frank  J.   Hubbard,   Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Recording  Secretary — Arthur  L.  Titsworth,  Plainfield,  N.  J> 

Assistant  Recording  Secretary — William  ]\I.  Stillman,  Plainfield, 
N.  J. 

Directors — J.  Denison  Spicer,  Rev.  Frank  E.  Peterson,  Rev. 
Stephen  Burdick,  Ira  J.  Ordway,  Rev.  Julius  M.  Todd.  Rev.  J.  Bennett 
Clarke,  Charles  C.  Chipman,  William  C.  Burdick,  Edgar  R.  Greene, 
Joseph  M.  Titsworth,  Henry  V.  Dunham,  Joseph  A.  Hubbard,  Rev. 
William  C.  Daland,  Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick.  William  C.  Hubbard, 
Frank  S.  Wells,  Rev.  Ira  L.  Cottrell.  Rev.  Herman  D.  Clarke.  Edwin 
H.  Lewis,  Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford.  Edwin  Shaw,  Corliss  F.  Randolph, 
George  B.  Carpenter,  Henry  D.  Babcock,  Henry  M.  Maxson,  Edgar 
H.  Cottrell,  George  H.  Utter,  Rev.  Lester  C.  Randolph,  Rev.  George 
W.  Lewis,  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  Frank  L.  Greene,  Alfred  A. 
Titsworth,  Rev.  George  B.  Shaw,  Alex.  W.  Vars,  Uberto  S.  Griffin, 
George  W.  Post.  Mrs.  H.  D.  Witter,  Mrs.  C.  D.  Potter,  Rev.  Martin 
Sindall,  Sherman  E.  Ayers,  Orra  S.  Rogers,  Will  H.  Crandall.  Mrs. 
Geo.  H.  Babcock.  Esle  F.  Randolph. 

The  history  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  (H- 
vides  itself  naturally  into  two  fi^cneral  divisions: 

1.  The  period  from  organization  in  1843  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  denominational  publishing  house  in  Alfred  Centre, 
N.  Y.,  July  I.  1872. 

2.  From  1872  to  the  present  (h)02).  the  period  (he  so- 
ciety has  maintained  a  denominational  publishing  house. 


436  SEVENTH-DAY   baptists: 

During  the  first  period,  1843-1872,  the  work  of  the  society 
was  pursued  along  the  general  lines  of  publishing,  and  then 
distributing  through  agents  and  colporteurs  or  distributors. 
The  depository  was  first  located  in  New  York  City. 

The  primitive  method  of  handing  out  tracts  at  public 
meetings,  on  steamboats,  railroad  trains,  and  through  the  towns 
along  the  line  of  the  railroads  was  adopted,  and  efforts  were 
made  to  sell  the  tracts  where  possible,  but  were  gratuitously 
distributed  if'not  sold.  In  the  early  forties,  "An  appeal  for 
the  restoration  of  the  Bible  Sabbath"  in  an  "Address  to  Bap- 
tists" by  Thomas  B.  Brown,  and  Carlow's  defense  of  the  Sab- 
bath under  the  title  of  "Truth  Defended,"  were  most  largely 
circulated. 

William  B.  Maxson,  Nathan  V.  Hull,  Azor  Estee,  Wil- 
liam Greenman,  Paul  Stillman,  Samuel  Davison,  Alexander 
Campbell,  and  Varnum  Hull  were  the  first  agents  of  the  so- 
ciety. 

Caleb  S.  Titsworth,  G.  R.  Scriven,  Lebbeus  M.  Cottrell, 
and  Dr.  Jonathan  Croffut  gave  special  attention  to  the  railroad 
towns. 

Much  general  distribution  was  secured  also  through  the 
Missionary  Society  by  missionaries  and  missionary  deposito- 
lies. 

The  first  "General  Travelling  Agent"  was  Eli  S.  Bailey, 
who  served  from  1849-52.  His  successors  were  Lucius  Cran- 
dall,  1852-55;  Halsey  H.  Baker,  1855-58;  George  B.  Utter, 
1858-67;  A.  Herbert  Lewis,  1867-72. 

Associated  with  these  leaders  were  Joseph  W.  Morton, 
Sherman  S.  Griswold,  C.  A.  Osgood,  Henry  O'Conner,  Hiram 
Burdick,  Elias  Burdick,  E.  P.  Larkin,  Hiram  W.  Babcock, 
Thomas  E.  Babcock,  Alfred  B.  Burdick,  James  Summerbell, 
Darwin  E.  Maxson,  Leman  Andrus,  Lester  C.  Rogers,  Nathan 
Wardner,  M.  B.  Kelly,  James  Bailey,  S.  D.  Davis,  Henry 
Clarke,  Wilson  F.  Van  Cleve,  Washington  Donnell,  Frederick 
F.  Johnson,  Lebbeus  M.  Cottrell,  Joel  Greene,  Elston  M.  Dunn. 

How  profitable  it  would  be  if  we  might  dwell  in  particu- 
lar upon  the  self-sacrificing,  consecrated  labors  of  each  of  this- 
noble  band  of  warriors,  but  it  comes  within  our  province  only 
to  indicate  the  general  character  of  the  work. 

The  published  literature  of  the  denomination  up  to    the 


A  GROUP  OI-    SAI'.I'.A'III    l<  IJ't  )1<M  l-.KS    AND    MISSION  AKN'    \\'(  )RKI".RS. 
Rev.   Lester  C.   Ropers.  Corrcll    1 ).    I'otter.    M.    1). 

Rev.   Joseph    \V.    Morton.  Rev.    Henry    15.    Lewis. 

See  H'u>i:,r(iph'uijl    Sketches,     p.   I36L 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  437 

close  of  the  first  period  (1872)  ^vas  chiefly  periodical,  in  the 
form  of  magazines,  papers  and  tracts,  and  devoted  largely  to 
the  vindication  of  the  Sabbath  of  the  Bible.  The  general 
agents  and  their  associates  covered  the  country  very  thorough- 
ly. East,  West  and  South,  through  the  associations  and 
churches,  in  selling,  distributing  and  lecturing,  certain  locali- 
ties being  assigned  to  each.  •  Eftorts  were  not  confined  to  our 
own  people,  the  desire  being  that  the  truth  should  reach  all. 
As  early  as  1852  bound  volumes  of  tracts  were  placed  in  pub- 
lic libraries,  and  hi  the  libraries  of  colleges  and  theological 
seminaries,  so  that  the  scholarship  of  the  land  had  the  Sabbath 
truth  brought  to  its  attention,  and  our  workers  were  not  awed 
into  silence  even  by  the  most  learned ;  and  so  through  tracts ; 
periodicals  and  books ;  lecturers  and  colporteurs ;  pastors  and 
laym.en ;  discussions  upon  the  platform  and  through  the  press ; 
our  predecessors  labored  to  secure  recognition  for  God's  Holy 
Day.  These  men  wrought  in  their  day  and  generation,  and 
left  an  inheritance  of  the  vantage  ground  they  had  gained,  to 
men  of  wider  experience,  larger  opportunity,  and  more  perfect- 
ly matured  methods  of  work.  The  succeeding  history  of  the 
society  bears  its  testimony  as  to  how  faithfully  we  have  nur- 
tured this  noble  inheritance. 

The  close  of  this  period  was  marked  by  the  agitation 
which  led  to  the  establishment  of  a  denominational  publishing 
house.  At  the  annual  session  in  September,  1870,  at  Little 
Genesee,  N.  Y.,  it  was  voted,  "That  a  special  committee  of  one 
from  each  Association  be  appointed  to  consider  in  detail,  the 
probable  expense  of  undertaking  a  publishing  interest,  and  to 
recommend  any  definite  measures."  The  following  were  ap- 
pointed: Charles  Potter,  Jr.,  Charles  H.  Maxson,  H.  P.  Bur- 
dick,  James  Bailey  and  George  B.  Utter.  This  committee  re- 
ported to  the  Board  November  10,  1870,  that  the  cost  of  print- 
ing press,  engine,  type,  necessary  supplies,  etc.,  would  be 
$5,000.  The  subscription  list  of  The  Recorder  could  be  pur- 
chased for  $2,000.  $3,000  would  be  needed  for  working  capital. 
making  a  total  of  $10,000. 

The  Board  decided  that  the  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to 
test  the  interest  and  liberality  of  the  people  toward  this  move- 
ment, and  accordingly,  they  instructed  the  general  agent,  A.  H. 
Lewis ;  Corresponding  Secretary,  J.  B.  Clarke ;  Agent,  L.  C. 


438  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

Rogers,  and  Ira  J.  Ordway  to  canvass  the  churches  for  sub- 
scriptions. Over  $11,000  were  obtained  the  first  year  of  this 
canvass,  so  at  the  Board  meeting,  October  10,  1871,  it  was  vot- 
ed to  purchase  The  Sabbath  Recorder  of  the  pubHshers,  G.  B. 
and  G.  H.  Utter,  and  equip  a  printing  estabHshment.  The 
question  of  location,  which  was  referred  to  the  Board  by  the 
subscribers  to  the  fund,  was  decided  by  accepting  the  ofifer 
made  by  the  citizens  of  Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y.,  of  a  suitable 
building  in  that  place,  free  of  rent  for  three  years  or  more. 
On  February  12,  1872,  Nathan  V.  Hull  was  elected  by  the 
Board,  editor  of  The  Sabbath  Recorder,  and  David  R.  Still- 
man,  business  manager ;  and  they  assumed  their  offices  in  June, 
1872,  and  under  their  pergonal  supervision  the  first  denomi- 
national publishing  house  began  operations,  completely  equip- 
ped and  fully  paid  for,  July  i,  1872,  thus  marking  for  us  the 
close  of  the  first  general  division  of  the  history  of  the  society. 

SECOND  GENERAL  DIVISION. 
1872-I902. 

During  the  early  years  of  this  period  the  work  of  the  so- 
ciety was  promulgated  along  the  same  general  lines  as  before, 
with  agents  in  the  field,  but  at  the  annual  meeting  in  1877,  we 
find  the  element  of  evangelization  coming  to  the  front  in  the 
adoption  of  the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  the  past  experience  in  propagating  the 
doctrine  of  the  Sabbath  by  means  of  lecturers  sent  out  to 
spread  that  distinctive  truth,  shows  it  to  be  largely  expensive 
in  proportion  to  results,  and  points  distinctly  to  the  necessity 
of  a  change  in  our  efiforts  in  that  direction.  In  the  future  our 
lecturers  should  be  sent  out  to  evangelize  with  the  broad  com- 
mission :  'Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature ;'  not  one  part,  but  the  whole,  and  only  with 
this  can  we  be  sure  of  a  success  worthy  of  our  efifort." 

This  resolution  found  expression  primarily  in  the  inaugu- 
ration of  "tent  work"  in  the  spring  of  1878.  Dr.  C.  D.  Pot- 
ter, of  Adams  Center,  N.  Y.,  furnished  the  tent  on  condition 
that  the  Board  would  employ  and  sustain  laborers  to  go  with 
it.  So  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Charles  M.  Lewis  and  J.  L.  Huffman 
were  secured  as  preachers,  with  Judson  G.  Burdick  as  singer. 
Later,  Lester  C.  Rogers  and  Herman  D.  Clarke  continued  the 


O     r. 


u 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  439 

work,  and  much  success  attended  this  new  method  of  aggressive 
work,  and  plans  for  enlarged  labor  along  this  line  were  made 
and  carried  out  by  the  addition  of  a  tent  in  the  Xorth-Western 
Association,  with  IMorton  S.  Wardner  as  preacher,  J.  T.  Davis 
and  S.  R.  Wheeler  being  successors. 

Several  years  these  labors  were  continued  and  with  one 
exception,  conversions  were  reported  from  all  the  places  where 
the  tents  were  pitched,  and  many  good  results  followed,  but 
tent  work  was  finally  abandoned  for  the  time,  as  not  accord- 
ing to  the  genius  of  our  people,  and  so  did  not  receive  their 
'  support. 

Following  the  "tent  work"  and  during  the  eighties,  resort 
Vi-as  made  once  more  to  the  assistance  of  General  Agents,  J. 
Bennett  Clarke  filling  the  position  several  years,  and  George 
M.  Cottrell  one  year. 

In  the  fall  of  1895.  tent  work  was  revived,  by. conducting 
an  evangelistic  and  Sabbath  Reform  campaign  in  Louisville, 
Ky.,  maintained  jointly  by  the  Missionary  and  Tract  Societies, 
mider  the  leadership  of  their  respective  Corresponding  Secre- 
taries, Dr.  O.  U.  Whitford  and  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis. 

Large  audiences  of  most  intelligent  and  earnest  Christians 
listened  attentively  to  the  entire  series  of  Sabbath  discourses 
and  much  interest  was  manifested.  The  seetl  was  faithfully 
sown,  but  the  visible  results  were  not  so  favorable  to  the 
cause  as  it  had  been  hoped  they  would  be. 

FOREIGN    WORK. 

In  the  early  seventies.  Rev.  William  ]\I.  Jones,  pastor  of 
the  Mill  Yard  Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  London,  England, 
interested  himself  largely  in  Sabbath  Reform  work  in  that 
country,  by  lecturing,  correspondence  and  in  making  use  of  our 
publications  furnished  freely  by  the  Board  for  distributic^n  in 
London  and  elsewhere.  Charles  B.  Barber  rendered  valuable 
assistance  by  voluntary  labor  in  distributing  in  the  city  of  Lon- 
don, and  others  engaged  voluntarily  in  the  work  in  England, 
Scotland  and  Ireland.  Brother  Jones  also  wrote  a  number  of 
tracts  pertinent  to  the  times,  and  published  "The  Sabbath 
Memorial  Quarterly"  from  1875  to  1890  for  free  distribution. 

In  1874  a  number  interested  in  the  Sabbath  in  Glasgow, 
Scotland,   asked    the    society    to   send    a    Seventh-day    Baptist 


440  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

missionary  to  Scotland,  and  in  response  the  Board  extended  a 
call  to  the  Rev.  Nathan  Wardner,  which  he  accepted  and  he  and 
his  wife  arrived  in  Glasgow  June  23,  1875.  The  friends 
there  gave  him  a  most  cordial  welcome.  On  June  30,  he 
reached  London  for  consultation  with  Brother  Jones  in  regard 
to  the  work,  and  together  they  visited  Great  Grimsby,  Glasgow, 
Elgin  and  Belfast,  lecturing  to  assemblies  in  halls,  after  adver- 
tising the  appointments.  Brother  Wardner  later  returning  to 
Glasgow,  established  his  home  and  headquarters  there.  As  a 
result  of  Brother  Wardner's  labor  in  Belfast,  a  church  of  five 
members  was  organized  as  a  nucleus  around  which  the  grow- 
ing interest  might  cluster.  He  described  them  as  a  "valiant 
little  band,  lifting  with  all  their  might."  In  August,  1876, 
Brother  Wardner  wrote  that  what  he  had  done  in  lecturing, 
convinced  him  that  it  was  by  far  the  most  expensive  and  least 
effective  method  of  getting  the  subject  before  the  people,  so 
for  the  preceding  two  months  tract  distribution  had  been  in- 
creased until  it  was  thought  Scotland  had  never  before  been 
so  covered  with  printed  matter  in  the  interest  of  any  cause. 
While  in  Scotland,  Brother  Wardner  prepared  and  distributed 
a  series  of  tracts,  presenting  dift'erent  phases  of  the  Sabbath 
doctrine.  Tracts  were  distributed  considerably  by  mail, 
which  called  out  -correspondence  with  ministers  and  laymen. 
Several  of  the  ministers  as  well  as  others  accepted  the  Sabbath 
doctrine.  One  pastor  of  a  strict  communion  Baptist  church  in 
Haarlem,  Holland,  who  was  also  an  editor,  commenced  keep- 
ing the  Sabbath  with  thirty-one  members  out  of  his  church  of 
sixty.  We  recognize  this  pastor  as  our  beloved  Brother  Vel- 
thuysen,  and  were  there  no  other  results  of  the  Scottish  mis- 
sion, this  alone  would  more  than  pay  for  the  labor  and  means 
expended. 

Thus  far  the  mission  was  looked  upon  as  an  important 
pioneer  work  of  highly  successful  planting,  but  the  path  was 
not  always  smooth.  Brother  Wardner  returned  home  in  1877, 
and  on  his  retiring  from  the  work,  the  Board  passed  the  fol- 
lowing resolutions : 

"Resolved,  That  our  confidence  in  our  late  Sabbath  mis- 
sionary in  Scotland,  Brother  Nathan  Wardner,  remains  un- 
abated, and  while  sympathizing  with  him  in  the  trials  and  dif- 
ficulties encountered  on  that  field,  we  hereby  express  our  re- 


REV.    GKRllARI)    VlvLTI  1  LVSEN. 
See    Biogniphiail    Skdclics,  p.    1361 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  44 1 

gret  that  circumstances  connected  with  the  health  of  his  famil\' 
and  the  embarrassed  condition  of  the  treasury,  have  rendered 
his  return  necessary  at  this  early  date. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  well  satisfied  with  the  plans  of  labor 
pursued  by  Brother  Wardner,  and  while  we  thank  God  for 
success  already  attained,  we  shall  continue  to  pray  in  hope  that 
an  abundant  ingathering  may  come  from  the  truth  sown  by 
him  and  the  others  in  Great  Britain." 

At  the  annual  session  in  1878,  the  following  resolution 
was  also  adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  the  simple  effort  of  sending  tracts 
through  the  mails,  as  by  our  brother,  N.  Wardner,  when  in 
Scotland,  so  that  a  single  package  of  seven  tracts  within  the 
short  space  of  a  year  and  a  half,  results  in  the  formation  and 
addition  to  our  Conference  of  a  church  of  thirty-one  members 
with  an  efificient  pastor  and  a  weekly  paper,  should  be  regarded 
with  greater  attention  by  our  people,  as  the  cheapest  and  most 
cfifective  way  of  spreading  Sabbath  truth  in  regions  remote 
from  our  churches." 

Aid  and  sympathy  were  soon  extended  to  Brother  Vel- 
thuysen  in  Holland,  and  Brother  Rolf  in  Norway,  through 
voluntary  contributions,  and  at  the  annual  meeting  in  18S2  the 
society  recommended  the  Tract  Board  "to  place  such  an 
amount  of  funds  at  the  disposal  of  Brother  Velthuysen  as  will 
enable  him  to  circulate  the  Boodschapper  extensively  among 
the  people  of  his  country."  The  treasurer  was  able  to  send 
the  following  year.  1883,  the  sum  of  $420,  and  since  that  time 
nearly  remittances  of  from  $500  to  $r')oo  have  been  sent. 

LADIKS'   AUXILIARIES. 

In  the  early  seventies,  as  the  demands  upon  the  society 
increased  and  new  fields  oj)ened  up,  j)lans  were  laid  for  secur- 
ing better  local  agencies  for  raising  funds  and  promoting  the 
interests  of  the  society.  The  women  of  the  denomination, 
ever  loyal  and  true  to  its  interests, 

"Tlie  friends  to  truth,  of  souls  sincere, 
Tn  action  faithful,  and  in  honor  clear !" 

responded  to  the  call  most  willingly  and  in  one  year  (1875) 
'"Women's  Auxiliary  Tract  Societies"  were  organized  at  Fa- 
rina, West  Hallock,  Walworth,  Milton,  Albion,  Christiana, 
Leonarflsville.  West  Edmeston.  \'erona,  Adams  Center,  De- 


442  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

Ruyter  and  Chicago.  These  pioneers  were  soon  followed  by 
other  Auxiliary,  Benevolent,  or  Mite  Societies,  in  the  other 
churches  generally  throughout  the  denomination,  and  with  un- 
abated zeal,  money  was  raised  and  literature  distributed  for  a 
number  of  years.  Gradually,  however,  these  associations  be- 
came disorganized  as  auxiliary  societies,  though  much  of  the 
Vvork  was  accomplished  through  other  avenues,  until  they  were 
finally  merged  into  the  "Woman's  Executive  Board  of  the 
Conference,"  organized  in  1884.  Through  this  Board,  created 
to  raise  funds  for  our  various  denominational  enterprises,  and 
to  engage  in  general  benevolent  work,  the  Tract  Society  has 
been  given  regular  and  efficient  support. 

TRACT  DEPOSITORIES. 

As  indicated  by  the  title,  these  are  locations  apart  from 
the  place  of  publishing,  where  our  publications  are  placed  on 
deposit  in  quantities,  both  for  sale  and  distribution.  The  first 
of  these  were  placed  in  New  York,  Westerly,  Alfred  and  mis- 
sionary stations.  Others  were  established  in  Texarkana,  Ark., 
and  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  in  the  early  eighties.  The  most  ex- 
tensive and  effective  work  in  this  line  was  probably  accom- 
plished by  the  depository  located  at  100  Bible  House,  New 
York  City,  from  1892  to  1895,  and  under  the  supervision  of 
Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick.  During  these  years  this  office  was 
headquarters  for  general  distribution,  and  was  only  discon- 
tinued when  the  work  was  naturally  absorbed  by  the  publish- 
ing house  at  Plainfield. 

Quite  extensive  work  in  this  line  was  also  accomplished 
by  the  Western  Depository,  located  at  Chicago  from  1893  to 
1896,  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  Lester  C.  Randolph  and  Ira  J.  Ord- 
way ;  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in  Chicago  in  1893, 
in  care  of  Mrs.  A.  A.  Allen ;  at  the  Atlanta  Exposition  in  1895. 
under  the  control  of  the  Rev.  George  W.  Hills;  and  at  Alilton 
Junction,  Wis.,  under  the  auspices  of  the  North-Western  As- 
sociation, and  conducted  by  W.  B.  West. 

Since  September,  1899,  under  the  direction  of  the  Board 
and  as  its  salaried  agent.  Rev.  A.  P.  Ashurst,  at  Atlanta,  Ga., 
as  distributing  point,  has  circulated  our  tracts  most  extensive- 
ly and  faithfully.  He  is  sowing  the  field  there  with  Sabbath 
truth,  in  the  confident  hope  that  Sabbath-keeping  churches  will 
spring  up,  yielding  a  bountiful  harvest. 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  443 

In  conjunction  with  the  Missionary  Board,  Rev.  George 
Seeley,  at  Petitcodiac,  New  Brunswick,  Canada,  has  been  em- 
ployed as  agent  in  Missionary,  Sabbath  Reform  and  Tract 
work  since  October,  1900.  His  reports  show  a  large  distribu- 
tion, and  hopes  are  entertained  for  the  accomplishment  of 
much  permanent  good  on  the  Canadian  field. 

CHANGE   OF    EXECUTIVE    BOARD. 

At  the  annual  meeting 'of  the  society  held  in  Farina,  111., 
September  25,  1881,  the  personnel  of  the  Board  was  changed 
almost  entirely,  and  since  that  time  the  meetings  of  the  Board 
have  been  held  in  Plainfield,  N.  J.  It  came  under  the  province 
of  this  Board  during  the  first  year  of  its  labors  to  inaugurate 
another  advanced  step  in  the  history  of  the  society,  by  the 
publication  monthly  of  the  Outlook,  the  first  edition  of  52,000 
being  issued  in  April,  1882,  under  the  editorship  of  Dr.  A.  H. 
Lew'is  and  Dr.  C.  D.  Potter.  The  general  plan  of  the  paper 
was  to  present  Sabbath  truth  and  Sabbath  reform  as  part  of  a 
complete  gospel  of  salvation. 

The  entire  editions  were  sent  first  to  the  ministers 
throughout  the  land,  then  to  editors,  lawyers  and  laymen,  the 
important  mission  being  to  convince  the  Christian  world  that 
God's  word  alone  is  authority  in  religious  faith  and  practice. 
In  1884  the  publication  was  changed  to  a  quarterly,  under  the 
title  of  The  Outlook  and  Sabbath  Quarterly,  and  its  articles 
became  more  direct  in  their  relation  to  the  Sabbath  question. 
Its  discussions  were  historical,  ethical  and  biblical,  and  it  was 
chiefly  designed  to  reach  the  religious  teachers  of    the    land. 

CHANGE  IN  LOCATION  OF  PUBLISHING  HOUSE  FROM  ALFRED  CEN- 
TER,   N.    v.,    TO    PLAINFIELD,    N.    J. 

Owing  to  the  difficulties  and  inconveniences  of  carrying 
on  the  work  of  the  society  with  the  Board  at  Plainfield,  four 
hundred  miles  from  the  publishing  house  at  Alfred  Center,  the 
Board  suggested  in  its  annual  report  in  1885,  the  propriety  and 
advisability  of  changing  one  or  the  other,  so  that  the  two 
might  be  in  closer  proximity.  Each  succeeding  year  revealed 
the  necessity  more  forcibly  of  securing  this  advantage,  and  at 
the  annual  session  in  1890,  at  Salem,  W.  Va.,  the  following 
action  was  taken : 

"Your  committee  appointed  to  consider  the  question  of  tlic  removal 
of  the  Publishing  House  would  report  as  follows : 


444  SF.VENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

Whereas,  The  Executive  Board  have  in  their  annual  reports  re- 
peatedly expressed  the  embarassments  under  which  they  labor  in  regard 
to  the  location  of  the  Publishing  House ;  therefore 

Resolved,  1st,  That  there  ought  to  be  made  such  a  change  in  the 
location  of  the  Publishing  House  as  would  bring  it  under  the  immed- 
iate supervision  of  the  Executive  Board  and  in  close  proximity  thereto ; 
and  2d,  That  this  question  be  brought  before  the  Denominational  Coun- 
cil, expected  to  be  held  in  Chicago  in  October,  for  their  consideration, 
and  before  the  next  session  of  the  Society,  for  definite  and  final  action. 

W.  C.  Daland, 
S.  L.  Maxson, 
T.   R.  Williams, 
W.   C.   Whitford, 
T.    L.    Gardiner, 

Coiniitiftec." 

In  accordance  with  this  action  the  Denominational  Coun- 
cil adopted  the  following- : 

"Your  Committee  on  the  Location  of  Publishing  House  would  re- 
spectfully present  the  following  report : 

We  believe  that  the  success  of  our  publications,  both  for  ourselves 
as  a  denomination  and  for  Sabbath  Reform,  rises  far  above  any  ques- 
tion of  persons  or  places,  and  that  the  location  of  the  Publishing  House 
should  be  decided  entirely  from  that  standpoint.  And  trusting  the 
wisdom  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  that  they  will  act  with 
due  discretion  in  this  matter,  we  do  recommend  the  passage  of  the  fol- 
lowing resolution : 

Resolved.  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  Council  that  the  American 
Sabbath  Tract  Society  should  instruct  its  Board  to  remove  the  Pub- 
lishing House  to  some  great  commercial  center,  conveniently  located 
for  our  denomination,  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done  without  serious  em- 
barrassment, or  loss  to  the  interests  involved. 

B.  F.  Rogers, 
A.  McLearn, 
Oscar   Babcock, 
A.  G.  Crofoot, 
A.  B.  Prentice, 
W.  H.  H.  Coon, 

Committee." 
In  pursuance  of  this  action  of  the  council,  and  the  forego- 
ing action  of  the  society,  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  New 
York  and  Chicago  had  been  informally  considered  by  the  peo- 
ple as  desirable  points  for  a  new  location,  reports  on  the  ad- 
vantages of  each  of  these  centers  were  embodied  in  the  annual 
report  of  the  society  in  1891,  and  this  portion  of  the  report 
was  referred  to  a  special  committee  who  presented  the  follow- 
ing: 


JAMES    I  RAXkLlN    HUBBARD. 
See     /?/('!,';•(//'/;',•(//    Skctclu's,    p.   1361. 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  445 

"Your  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  that  portion  of  the  report  of 
the  Board  relating  to  the  removal  of  the  Publishing  House,  begs  leave 
to  report.  We  recommend  that  the  Society  accept  the  advice  of  the 
Denominational  Council  held  at  Chicago,  111.,  Oct.  22-29,  1B90,  viz : 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  Council  that  the  American 
Sabbath  Tract  Society  should  instruct  its  Board  to  remove  the  Publish- 
ing House  to  some  great  commercial  center,  conveniently  located  for 
our  denomination,  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done  without  serious  embarrass- 
ment or  loss  to  the  interest  involved. 

Thos.   R.   Williams, 
B.  F.  Rogers, 
G.  J.  Crandall, 
G.  W.  Hills. 
N.  Wardxer, 
T.  L.  Gardiner, 
W.   C.   Whitford, 

A.  B.  Prentice, 

B.  P.  Langworthy,  2d, 

Couuiiittee." 

As  this  report  did  not  name  a  location,  a  substitute  for  it 
was  adopted  at  the  evening  session,  as  follows : 

"In  pursuance  of  the  reconsideration,  as  voted  at  the  afternoon  ses- 
sion, of  the  report  of  the  committee  on  the  removal  of  the  Publishing 
House,  A.  H.  Lewis  offered  the  following  resolution  as  a  substitute  for 
the  report  of  the  special  committee  on  that  matter. 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  instruct  the  Executive  Board  of  this 
Society  to  move  the  Publishing  House  from  Alfred  Center  to  the  city 
of  New  York,  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done  in  accordance  with  the  best 
interest  of  the  work  of  the  Society,  and  we  do  hereby  pledge  to  the 
Board  all  necessary  support  in  carrying  out  this  instruction." 

The  first  step  toward  carrying  out  the  instructions  of  this 
resolution  was  taken  by  the  establishment  in  1892  of  a  Xew 
York  office  at  100  Bible  House,  for  use  as  editorial  rooms  for 
the  Outlook  and  Sabbath  Reform  literature,  and  for  a  general 
tract  depository.  The  office  was  maintained  largely  through 
the  generosity  of  Calvert  B.  Cottrell  until  the  close  of  1894. 
when  it  was  merged  in  the  publishing  house. 

At  the  annual  session,  held  August  19,  1894.  at  llrook- 
field,  N.  Y.,  the  Committee  on  Resolutions  presented  as  the 
first  item  of  their  report,  the  following,  which  was  adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Executive  Board  be  hereby  instructed  and  em- 
powered to  make  such  changes  in  the  publishing  department  as  they 
shall  find  to  be  most  conducive  to  economy  and  success  in  our  publish- 
ing work.' 


446  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

The  Board  in  their  efforts  to  carry  out  these  instructions, 
appointed  at  their  meeting  held  September  9,  1894,  the  follow- 
ing committee  to  examine  and  report  as  to  what  action  was 
advisable — Charles  Potter,  Jr.,  J.  Frank  Hubbard,  David 
E.  Titsworth,  A.  Herbert  Lewis,  Charles  C.  Chipman  and 
Stephen  Babcock.  By  conference  and  correspondence  with 
members  of  the  society  at  large,  careful  examinations  into  the 
business  conditions,  expense  of  maintenance,  and  advantages 
to  be  gained,  the  committee  at  the  meeting  December  9,  1894, 
recommended  that  the  publishing  house  be  removed  to  Plain- 
field,  New  Jersey,  at  the  earliest  practicable  date,  believing  it 
to  be  in  the  interests  of  our  publications  and  economy.  The 
report  was  unanimously  adopted,  and  arrangements  completed, 
whereby  the  publishing  house  began  operations  in  Plainfield 
January  i,  1895,  in  commodious  quarters,  conveniently  ar- 
tanged  for  the  systematic  production  of  our  work.  New  type, 
material  and  machinery  were  added,  making  a  thoroughly 
equipped  and  modern  office,  which  was  inventoried  at  a  net 
value  of  about  $8,000.  Our  publishing  plant  has  been  located 
there  since  that  time. 

DR.    A.    H.    lewis'    work. 

Thus  far  very  much  of  the  work  of  publication  was  pur- 
sued under  many  difficulties  and  hindrances,  and  especially  is 
this  true  of  the  literary  work  in  research  and  editing,  accom- 
plished by  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis.  The  ponderous  and  scholarly 
work  on  the  Outlook,  was  mainly  done  while  he  was  pastor 
of  the  Plainfield  church,  that  people  generously  donating  one- 
half  of  his  time  for  this  purpose.  The  department  of  Sab- 
bath Reform  had  increased  in  its  demands  and  opportunities 
to  such  an  extent,  that  at  the  annual  meeting  in  1895,  the  re- 
port of  the  Board  embodied  the  following: 

A  RECOMMENDATION. 

The  following  communication  from  Brother  William  L. 
Clarke,  of  Ashaway,  R.  L,  under  date  of  August  27,  1894,  was, 
by  action  of  the  Board,  December  9,  1894,  ordered  to  be  in- 
corporated in  this  report,  since  the  question  involved  was 
deemed  to  be  too  large  for  the  Board  to  settle  wi-thout  instruc- 
tions from  the  society.  Brother  Clarke's  recommendation  is 
as  follows : 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  447 

"My  interest  in  denominational  matters  prompts  me  to  make  the 
following  suggestion  concerning  affairs  that  belong  to  your  department, 
viz.,  that  you  call  Bro.  A.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D.,  to  devote  his  entire  time  to 
the  cause  of  Sabbath  Reform.  Since  the  death  of  Dr.  Potter,  of  sacred 
memory,  Bro.  Lewis  is  pre-eminently  our  apostle  in  this  work.  The 
church  of  God  needs  the  service  that  he  is  specially  prepared  to  give ; 
and  it  is  due  him  from  us  as  a  people,  that  we  unitedly  stay  up  his 
hands  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  as  he  shall  stand  upon  the  top 
of  the  hill  with  the  'rod  of  God'  in  his  hand." 

During  the  discussion  of  the  Corresponding'  Secretary's 
report  at  the  afternoon  session,  the  Rev.  O.  U.  Whitford,  D.  D., 
of  Westerly,  R.  I.,  presented  the  following  preamble  and  reso- 
lution : 

''Whereas,  The  work  of  Sabbath  Reform  in  our  country  has  become 
so  great,  the  opportunities  so  important,  and  the  demands  for  aggressive 
effort  so  broad  and  imperative,  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  recommends 
to  its  Executive  Board,  that  it  call  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis  to  devote  'his  entire 
time  to  Sabbath  Reform  work." 

On  motion  of  David  E.  Titsworth,  the  resolution  was 
made  a  special  order  for  the  evening  session,  at  which  time 
after  very  general  discussion  the  resolution  was  adopted. 

At  once  efforts  were  put  forth  to  secure  a  special  fund  for 
this  work,  and  while  this  was  progressing,  the  Plainfield  church 
granted  Dr.  Lewis  a  leave  of  absence  for  six  months,  the  time 
being  employed  in  the  revision  of  tracts ;  in  compiling  a  new 
series  of  twelve  tracts ;  and  in  Sabbath  Reform  work  among 
the  Associations  and  churches.  The  importance  of  securing 
Dr.  Lewis  for  this  special  work  was  manifested  at  the  annual 
session  held  at  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  in  1896,  by  the  presentation  of 
the  following: 

"Rcsohcd,  That  wc  instruct  our  Executive  Board  to  employ  the 
Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D.,  if  his  services  can  be  obtained,  to  devote  his 
entire  time  to  the  work  of  Sabbath  Reform,  under  its  direction. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

Arthur  E.  M.mn, 
Clayton   A.   Burdick, 
M.  B.  Keu.v,  Jr., 
E.  A.  Witter, 
Theo.  L.  Gardiner, 
^  Committee  on 

Resolutions." 


448  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

When  the  question  was  called,  the  entire  membership 
arose  to  their  feet,  and  the  President  declared  the  resolution 
adopted  by  a  unanimous  vote.  In  accordance  with  this  action, 
the  Board  at  its  regular  meeting  held  September  13,  1896,  ex- 
tended a  call  to  Dr.  Lewis  to  enter  upon  this  work.  His  resig- 
nation as  pastor  of  the  Plainfield  church  took  effect  October 
I,  1896,  and  his  engagement  with  the  society  began  at  that 
date. 

Rev.  F.  E.  Peterson,  having  voluntarily  resigned  the  of- 
fice of  Corresponding  Secretary  at  the  September  meeting  of 
the  Board,  the  resignation  was  accepted,  and  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewus 
vv'as  appointed  Corresponding  Secretary. 

The  first  year  was  occupied  largely  in  field  work,  b\  at- 
tendance on  all  the  Associations ;  holding  Sabbath  Reform 
conventions ;  visiting  among  the  churches  and  conducting  Sab- 
bath Reform  conferences. 

This  work  aggregated  for  the  year  10,500  miles  of  travel, 
and  87  sermons  and  addresses,  besides  subordinate  work.  As 
a  necessary  part  of  the  .new  movement,  the  Secretary  assumed 
editorial  charge  of  a  page  in  The  Sabbath  Recorder,  under  the 
head  of  "Tract  Society  Work."  The  new  labors  made  it  im- 
possible for  the  Secretary  to  continue  the  editorial  charge  of 
the  "Evangel  and  Sabbath  Outlook,"  so  its  publication  was 
suspended  in  June,  1897,  with  many  expressions  of  regret,  yet 
with  hopes  that  its  suspension  would  be  only  temporary. 

In  February,  1898,  owing  to  serious  ill  health,  Rev.  L.  E. 
Livermore  felt  compelled  to  resign  the  editorship  of  The  Sab- 
bath Recorder,  and  the  same  took  effect  March  i,  1898,  and 
Dr.  Lewis  was  requested  by  the  Board  to  fill  the  editorial  chair 
until  the  next  annual  meeting.  He  has  filled  the  place  contin- 
uously since  March  i,  1898. 

At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Board  in  February,  1898, 
it  was  voted  (the  "Evangel  and  Sabbath  Outlook"  having  been 
discontinued,  and  ground  lost  by  our  not  being  before  the 
world  in  some  tangible  and  impressive  manner)  that  as  soon 
a?  possible,  a  Sabbath  Reform  edition  of  The  Sabbatli  Re- 
corder be  issued  once  a  month,  to  be  sent  regularly  to  a  care- 
fully prepared  list  of  readers,  the  amount  of  funds  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Board  determining  the  number.  The  edition  be- 
(28) 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  449 

gan  in  1898  with  4,000,  and  was  gradually  increased  to  14,000 
monthly  in  1901. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Board  in  November,  1901,  it  being 
learned  that  an  edition  of  10,000  copies  monthly  of  a  sixteen- 
page  periodical,  magazine  size,  could  be  published  for  about 
the  same  cost  as  the  Sabbath  Reform  edition  of  14,000  of  The 
Sabbath  Recorder  sent  out  monthly,  and,  it  was  thought,  would 
accomplish  more  lasting  good,  it  was  voted  to  publish  such  a 
periodical,  and  the  Sabbath  Reform  edition  of  Tlie  Sabbath 
Recorder  was  therefore  discontinued  November,  1901,  and 
The  Sabbath  of  Christ,  a  new  publication,  w^as  begun  in 
January,   1902,  with  an  edition  approaching  10,000. 

The  Sabbath  of  Christ  is  published  monthly  by  the  so- 
ciety, with  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis  as  editor. 

This  paper  is  set  for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  upon  the 
Sabbath  question,  and  for  the  restoration  of  the  observance  of 
the  Sabbath  according  to  the  authority  and  example  of  Christ, 
who  declared  himself  to  be  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath.  It  gives 
special  attention  to  all  important  news  concerning  Sunday  laws 
and  their  enforcement,  and  concerning  the  observance  of  Sun- 
day. It  also  presents  the  historic  and  Biblical  claims  of  the 
Sabbath  in  distinction  from  the  Sunday.  It  champions  every 
form  of  religious  liberty. 

Some  diflficulties  arose  in  regard  to  mailing  this  periodical, 
which  caused  some  delay  in  sending  out  the  first  numbers,  but 
tRese  were  overcome,  and  editions  are  now  mailed  regularly. 
Copies  have  been  sent  to  our  pastors  and  Recorder  subscribers, 
for  the  purpose  of  eliciting  their  interest  in  the  work,  by  ac- 
quaintance with  it.  The  various  books  published  by  Dr.  Lewis 
smce  his  special  engagement  in  this  work  will  be  found  in  the 
catalogue  of  publications. 

During  the  past  year  efforts  were  made  to  secure  a  Sab- 
bath Reform  revivalist,  to  arouse  us  as  a  people  to  more  active 
Sabbath  Reform  work,  but  the  Board  were  unable  to  secure 
an  available  man.  It  is  hoped  that  this  may  be  accomplished 
soon,  but  if  not,  that  some  way  be  devised  whereby  our  Sab- 
bath Reform  work  may  be  pushed  forward,  with  some  of  the 
old  time  vigor. 

A  work  of  special  value  to  the  denomination  has  been  ac- 
complished recently,  through   the   Committee  on   Distribution 


450  .  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

of  Literature,  and  the  special  labor  of  Corliss  F.  Randolph  as  a 
member  of  that  committee,  in  securing  six  files  of  our  denomi- 
national publications  and  placing-  two  of  them  at  Alfred  Uni- 
A'ersity,  one  at  Milton  College,  one  at  Salem  College,  and  two 
at  the  publishing  house  in  Plainfield,  N.  J.  This  committee 
has  also  recently  compiled  a  list  of  valuable  works  suitable  for 
a  minister's  library,  which  will  be  published  in  The  Sabbath 
Recorder  and  also  in  pamphlet  form. 

FINANCE. 

The  income  for  the  publishing  interests  of  the  denomina- 
tion has  been  derived  practically  from  the  people  themselves, 
through  various  channels.  Some  of  it  has  been  paid  directly 
for  what  may  be  termed  self-sustaining  publications,  but  these 
have  been  few%  and  the  income  from  the  sale  of  other  publica- 
tions has  been  meagre  indeed.  This  has  left  the  great  bulk  of 
the  work  to  be  sustained  through  funds  secured  in  various  ways 
by  voluntary  contributions.  Just  to  indicate  some  of  the 
methods  employed  there  may  be  cited :  collections  through 
agents ;  contributions  from  churches  and  organizations ;  col- 
lections at  anniversaries ;  contributions  of  individuals ;  consti- 
tution of  life  directors  and  life  members ;  and  finally,  bequests. 

The  following  have  been  such  contributions  for  each  year 
during  existence  of  the  society,  1843  to  1902: 

T844    $       135  14 

1845  359  45 

1846  435  78 

1847  361  91 

1848  415  14 

1849  224  86 

1850  667  94 

1851  433  61 

1852  623  09 

1853  707  27 

1854  154  54 

1855  210  03 

1856  187  80 

1857  224  22 

1858    58  50 

1859    5176 

i860    227  57 

1861    9125 

1862    165  00 


TRACT    SOCIETY.  45  I 

863  41   38 

864  6898 

865  27399 

866  17807 

867  1.081  36 

868  1.446  93 

869  1,820  53 

870  2,443  84 

871  3,487  26 

872  12,444  67 

873  8,452  34 

874  3,000  00 

875  2, 100  00 

876  5478  64 

877  2,321  86 

878  2,361  54 

879  2,280  75 

880  3.322  58 

881  2,769  75 

882  5.753  80 

883  8.968  15 

884  8,630  29 

88s  6,63544 

886  10,316  57 

887  8,502  10 

888  5.172  23 

889  8.427  07 

890  8,534  7i 

891  7.712  55 

892  8.040  78 

893  7.713  89 

894  8,555  88 

895  8,143  64 

896  5.422  84 

897  5.651  62 

898  6,523  56 

899  7.200  08 

900  7.629  94 

901  7.102  79 

902  6.357  46 


$218,104  74 

During-  the  first  period  of  the  society's  history,  1843  to 
1872,  the  aggregate  income  from  these  sources  for  28  years 
amounted  to  $16,577.20,  an  average  of  $592.04  per  year. 

During  the  second  period,  1872-1902  inchisive,  the  aggre- 


452  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

gate  for  the  31  years  was  $201,527.54,  an  average  of  $6,500.89 
per  year. 

The  grand  total  for  the  59  years  is  $218,104.74. 

Two  years  stand  out  as  mountain  peaks  in  financial  ac- 
complishment, viz:  1872  and  1886.  The  former,  1872,  show- 
ing $12,400  raised,  was  due  to  special  etiforts  toward  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Publishing  House;  the  latter,  1886,  showing 
$10,300  donated,  was  due  to  special  efforts  to  liquidate  the  in- 
debtedness of  the  society. 

This  compilation  of  receipts  has  not  embodied  the  busi- 
ness receipts  of  the  publishing  house,  but  embraces  only  what 
might  be  termed  income  through  benevolence. 

It  seems  only  just  to  record  here  our  gratitude  to  some  of 
those,  who  being  blessed  with  means,  held  them  as  stewards 
of  him  who  gave  the  increase,  as  exemplified  by  such  men  as 
Dr.  C.  D.  Potter,  William  C.  Burdick,  George  H.  Babcock, 
Charles  Potter,  Jr.,  Calvert  B.  Cottrell,  J.  Frank  Hubbard,  and 
many  others. 

When  compiling  this  grand  total  of  nearly  $220,000  abso- 
lutely given  to  this  society  for  the  prosecution  of  its  work,  and 
bear  in  mind,  representing  only  one  branch  of  our  denomina- 
tional labors,  I  said  for  a  small  people,  not  burdened  with 
wealth,  this  large  sum  at  least  represents  many  sacrifices  of  a 
persistent  and  consecrated  people. 

EXECUTIVE  BOARD. 

The  business  transactions  of  the  society  have  been  con- 
ducted by  an  Executive  Board,  composed  of  the  officers  and  di- 
rectors, elected  by  the  society  at  its  annual  sessions.  Board 
meetings  were  held  in  New  York  City,  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  and 
New  Market,  N.  J.,  from  1843  to  1858;  Alfred  Center,  N.  Y., 
1858-1861 ;  DeRuyter,  N.  Y.,  1861  ;  Leonardsville,  N.  Y.,  1862- 
1881 ;  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  1881-1902. 

At  present,  the  various  branches  of  the  work  of  the  Board 
are  under  the  supervision  of  the  following  standing  commit- 
tees :  Advisory,  a  consulting  committee  for  the  work  of  the 
Corresponding  Secretary ;  Supervisory,  having  an  oversight 
of  the  work  of  the  publishing  house ;  Distribution  of  Litera- 
ture, having  in  charge  the  dissemination  of  tracts  and  publica- 
tions ;  Auditing,  for  the  examination  and  verification  of  ac- 
counts. 


TRACT  SOCIETY.  453 

OFFICERS  AND  THEIR  TERMS  OF  SERVICE. 

Presidents — Lucius  Crandall,  1843-1846;  Nathan  V.  Hull,  1846-1858; 
J.  R.  Irish,  1858-1859,  1860-1861,1862-1863;  Jonathan  Allen,  1859-1860; 
Amos  B.  Spaulding,  1861-1862,  1863-1879;  Julius  M.  Todd,  i8;9-i88i ; 
Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  1881-1883;  Charles  Potter,  Jr.,  1883-1899;  J.  Frank 
Hubbard,  1900-1902. 

Vice-Presidents — J.  P.  Labagh,  1843-1844;  David  Dunn,  1843- 185 1  ; 
Alfred  Stillman,  1843-1851 ;  Geo.  B.  Utter,  1844-1848,  1856-1858;  W.  M. 
Fahnestock,  1846-1851;  Paul  Stillman,  1848-1852;  Wm.  M.  Jones,  1850- 
1851;  O.  P.  Hull,  1850-1851;  Geo.  E.  Tomlinson,  1851-1856,  1861-1863, 
1870-1876;  Abram  D.  Titsv^^orth,  1851-1857;  Sherman  S.  Griswold,  1851- 
1857;  Amos  B.  Spaulding,  1851-1857,  1862-1863;  Jared  Kenyon,  1851- 
1857;  Varnum  Hull,  1851-1857;  Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  1852-1857,  1876- 
1880;  B.  W.  Rogers,  1852-1853;  W.  M.  Rogers,  1853-1860;  James  Bailey, 
1853-1854:  Charles  Maxson,  1854-1856;  Nicholas  Rogers,  1855-1856;  J. 
Croffut,  1855-1857;  J.  P.  Hunting,  1855-1857;  J.  Whitford,  1855-1858; 
Nathan  Rogers,  1855-1858;  J.  R.  Irish.  1855-1858.  1859-1860,  1861-1862; 
P.  L.  Berry,  1856-1858;  Nathan  V.  Hull,  1858-1860,  1870-1881 ;  A.  B. 
Burdick,  1857-1860;  Jonathan  Allen,  1858-1859,  1860-1861 ;  John  Max- 
son,  1860-1861;  D.  D.  Wells,  1860-1861;  Charles  M.  Lewis,  1860-1861 ; 
Stephen  Burdick,  1861-1862;  John  Maxson,  1861-1863;  Jason  B.  Wells, 
1862-1863;  Julius  M.  Todd,  1863-1874,  1876-1879;  Alexander  Campbell, 
1863-1866;  Geo.  B.  Clarke,  1863-1871,  1873-1875 ;  Milton  W.  St.  John, 
1863-1865,  1874-1876;  N.  L.  Burdick,  1865-1867;  Ephraim  Maxson,  1866- 
1870,  1871-1872;  James  Summerbell,  1867-1868;  Chauncey  V.  Hibbard, 
1868-1870,  1879-1881  ;  Asa  B.  Prentice,  1870-1902;  Joshua  Clarke,  1870- 
1878;  Nathan  Wardner,  1870-1873;  Sands  C.  Maxson,  1871-1873;  J. 
Delos  Rogers,  1872-1873 ;  A.  Herbert  Lewis,  1873-1881 ;  Lester  C. 
Rogers,  1874-1877,  1889-1900;  A.  C.  Rogers,  1875-1877;  Benj.  F.  Lang- 
worthy,  1876-1881  ;  Anthony  Hakes,  1876-1877;  Carrol  D.  Potter,  1877- 
1878,  1880-1881;  Charles  Potter,  Jr.,  1881-1883;  Benj.  F.  Langworthy, 
1881-1883;  S.  H.  Babcock,  1881-1883;  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  1881-1883; 
Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  1883-1895;  Leander  E.  Livermore,  1883-1888,  1896- 
1902;  Nathan  Wardner,  1883-1890;  Samuel  D.  Davis,  1886-1902;  Ward- 
ner C.  Titsworth,  1888-1889;  Geo.  H.  Babcock,  1889-1894;  E.  B.  Saun- 
ders, 1900-1902;  David  E.  Titsworth,  1894-1902;  S.  I.  Lee,  1894-1898; 
J.  Frank  Hubbard,  1896-1900;  Geo.  M.  Cottrell,  1898-1902. 

Treasurers — Thomas  B.  Stillman,  1843-1862;  Ephraim  Maxson, 
1862-1866;  J.  Bennett  Clarke,  1866-1867,  1868-1870;  Chauncey  V.  Hib- 
bard, 1867-1868;  Milton  W.  St.  John,  1870-1873;  Julius  M.  Todd,  1873- 
1874;  Stephen  Burdick,  1874-1881  ;  J.  Frank  Hubbard,  1881-1896;  J. 
Dennison  Spicer,  1896-1901 ;  Frank  J.  Hubbard,  1901-1902. 

Corresponding  Secretaries — Paul  Stillman,  1843-1848;  George  B. 
Utter,  1843-1844,  1848-1856;  Halsey  H.  Baker,  1856-1858;  David  R. 
Stillman,  1858-1860;  Jason  B.  Wells,  1860-1862;  Stephen  Burdick,  1862- 
1863;  Ira  J.  Ordway,  1863-1870;  J.  Bennett  Clarke,  1870-1881;  Geo.  H. 


454  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS: 

Babcock,  1881-1887,  188S-1890;  Leander  E.  Livermore,  1887-1888,  1890- 
1893;  Frank  E.  Peterson,  1893-1896;  A.  Herbert  Lewis,  1896-1902. 

•Recording  Secretaries — F.  W.  Stillman,  1843-1847;  Thos.  B.  Brown, 
1847-1854;  Halsey  H.  Baker,  1854-1856;  Isaac  S.  Dunn,  1856-1858; 
William  A.  Rogers,  1858-1860;  Barton  G.  Stillman,  1860-1861 ;  Ransom 
T.  Stillman,  1861-1862,  1874-1875;  J.  P.  Hunting,  1862-1864;  James 
Summerbell,  1864-1867;  J.  Bennett  Clarke,  1867-1868;  Lester  C.  Rogers, 
1868-1872;  Stephen  Burdick,  1872-1874;  Edwin  Whitford,  1875-1881 ; 
Leander  E.  Livermore,  1881-1883;  Earl  P.  Saunders,  1883-1884;  Jos.  M. 
Titsworth.  1884-1885;  Judson  G.  Burdick,  1885-1886;  David  E.  Tits- 
worth,   1886-1890;   Arthur  L.  Titsworth,   1890-1902. 

Assistant  Recording  Secretary — William  M.  Stillman,  1892-1902. 

Life  Directors— Dr.  C.  D.  Potter,  1876-1893;  Mrs.  C.  D.  Potter, 
1876;  Jas.  Bailey,  1876-1892;  Mrs.  Jas.  Bailey,  1876-1891;  Jas.  R.  Irish, 
1846-1891  ;  Jno.  P.  Stillman,  1857-1879;  J.  L.  Huffman,  1879-1897;  Mrs. 
H.  D.  Witter,  (Mrs.  J.  L.  Huffman)  1879;  Chas.  M.  Lewis,  1879-1883; 
Mrs.  Chas.  M.  Lewis,  1879-1881 ;  A.  B.  Burdick,  1857-1887;  A.  E.  Main, 
1880;  S.  E.  Ayres  Barney,  1882;  W.  D.  Ayres,  1882;  G.  W.  Gardner, 
1882;  Mrs.  G.  W.  Gardner,  1882;  Eliza  Gardner  Kenyon,  1882;  O. 
DeGrasse  Green,  1882;  A.  J.  Green,  1882-1901 ;  Mrs.  A.  J.  Green,  1882; 
W.  D.  Green,  1882;  Asa  B.  Prentice,  1882. 

Directors — John  Whitford,  1843-1848;  Solomon  Carpenter,  1843- 
1846;  William  B.  Maxson,  1843-1858;  Thos.  B.  Brown,  1843-1847; 
Clarke  Rogers,  1843-1846,  1848-1851;  Walter  B.  Gillette,  1846-1848; 
1850-1858;  Varnum  Hull,  1846-1847;  E.  G.  Champlain,  1847-1848;  Azor 
Estee,  1848-1850;  Lucius  Crandall.  1848-1858;  John  D.  Titsworth,  185c- 
1854;  David  Dunn,  1851-1858;  Eliphalet  Lyon,  1856-1858;  Darwin  E. 
Maxson,  1858-1861  ;  Elisha  Potter,  1858-1860;  William  C.  Kenyon, 
1858-1860;  T.  E.  Babcock,  1858-1861;  Sherman  S.  Griswold,  1858-1860; 
Azra  Muncey,  1860-1861 ;  J.  C.  Crandall,  1860-1863;  Julius  M.  Todd, 
1861-1863,  1874-1876,  1881-1902;  J.  P.  Hunting,  1861-1862;  R.  W.  Brown, 
1861-1863;  Ransom  T.  Stillman,  1862-1874,  1875-1881;  John  A.  Lang- 
worthy,  1862-1863;  Alonzo  W.  Crandall,  1863-1864;  Chauncey  V.  Hib- 
bard,  1863-1867,  1870-1879;  Ezra  Coon,  1863-1870;  J.  T.  Rogers,  1863- 
1864;  W.  M.  Palmiter,  1863-1864;  Roswell  P.  Dowse,  1864-1881;  A.sa 
M.  West,  1864-1867;  C.  M.  Whitford,  1867-1877;  E.  B.  Clarke,  1867- 
1869;  Milton  W.  St.  John,  1869-1870;  Leroy  H.  Maxson,  1869-1881; 
Isaac  D.  Titsworth,  1870-1876;  Charles  Maxson,  1870-1877;  Alanson  C. 
Potter,  1870-1877,  1878-1881;  Benj.  F.  Langworthy,  1870-1876;  Ezra 
Goodrich,  1870-1872;  Lester  C.  Rogers,  1872-1873;  J.  B.  Whitford,  1873- 
1877;  Anthony  Hakes,  1873-1876;  Amos  L.  Clarke,  1876-1877,  1878- 
1879;  J.  Delos  Rogers,  1876-1877,  1878-1881 ;  Amos  Stillman,  1S76-1877; 
Silas  Bailey,  1877-1880;  Sands  B.  Maxson,  1877-1881;  A.  L.  Clarke, 
1879-1881;  Joshua  Clarke,  1879-1895;  J.  A.  Crandall,  1879-18S1  ;  Wil- 
liam J.  Whitford,  1880-1881;  J.  G.  White,  1880-1881;  A.  C.  Roger.s, 
1880-1881;  Stephen  Babcock,  1881-1886.  1887-1900;  A.  Herbert  Lewis, 
1881-1896;   J.   Dennison    Spicer,   1881-1895,   1901-1902;   Thos.   H.   Tom- 


TRACT    SOCIETY.  455 

linson,  1881-1888;  J.  Bennett  Clarke,  1881-1902;  Edwin  Whitford,  1881- 
1891 ;  B.  F.  Rogers,  1881-1883;  Edgar  R.  Greene,  1881-1902;  J.  J.  White, 
1881-1883;  Dr.  C.  D.  Potter,  1882-1893;  Henry  V.  Dunham,  1882-1902; 
Wm.  C.  Burdick,  1883-1902;  Jos.  M.  Titsworth,  1883-1884,  1885-1902; 
Jos.  A.  Hubbard,  1883-1902;  George  B.  Carpenter,  1883-1885,  1890-1902; 
Jonathan  Maxson,  1883-1885;  Judson  G.  Burdick,  1884-1885;  1886-1902; 
Wm.  C.  Daland,  1885-1902;  Rudolph  M.  Titsworth,  1885-1892;  Stephen 
Burdick,  1886-1902;  Henry  D.  Babcock,  1887-1902;  Abel  S.  Titsworth, 
1887-1892;  Elias  R.  Pope,  1888-1896;  F.  Adelbert  Dunham,  1888-1892; 
Geo.  E.  Stillman,  1888-19CC;  Leander  E.  Livermore,  1888-1896;  Frank 
S.  Wells,  1889-1902;  Arthur  L.  Titsworth,  1889-1890;  Ira  L.  Cottrell, 
1889-1902;  Herman  D.  Clarke,  1889-1902;  Oscar  U.  Whitford,  1889- 
1902;  Edwin  H.  Lewis,  1889-1902;  Edwin  B.  Shaw,  1889-1902;  David 
E.  Titsworth,  1890-1894;  Corliss  F.  Randolph,  1890-1902;  Charles  C. 
Chipman,  1891-1902;  Henry  M.  Maxson,  1892-1902;  Edgar  F.  Cottrell, 
1893-1902;  George  H.  Utter,  1893-1902;  Lester  C.  Randolph,  1893-1902; 
Geo.  W.  Lewis,  1893-1902;  Ira  J.  Ordway,  1894-1902;  Theo.  L.  Gardiner, 
1895-1902;  Frank  L.  Greene,  1895-1902;  Alfred  A.  Titsworth,  1895- 
i9G2;Frank  E.  Peterson,  1896-1902;  Wm.  C.  Hubbard,  1896-1902;  Geo. 
B.  Titsworth,  1896-1901 ;  Geo.  B.  Shaw,  1897-1902;  Alex.  W.  Vars, 
1897-1902;  Uberto  S.  Griffen,  1897-1902;  Dr.  Geo.  W.  Post,  1898-1902; 
Martin  Sindall,  1899-1902;  Sherman  E.  Ayers,  1899-1902;  Frank  J.  Hub- 
bard, 1900-1901 ;  Orra  S.  Rogers,  1900-1902;  Wm.  H.  Crandall,  1900- 
19C2;  Mrs.  Geo.  H.  Babcock,  1901-1902;  Else  F.  Randolph,  1901-1902. 

From  this  record  of  the  officers  of  the  society,  with  their 
terms  of  service,  the  long  and  faithful  service  of  the  following, 
are  certainly  worthy  of  special  mention : 

PRESIDENTS. 

Nathan  V.  Hull    12  years 

Amos    B.    Spaulding    17 

Chas.    Potter,    Jr. 16       " 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

Nathan    V.    Hull     13  years 

Julius  M.  Todd    14 

Geo.    B.    Clarke    10 

Asa  B.  Prentice   ^2 

Lester    C.    Rogers    14 

Isaac   D.    Titsworth    12      " 

Leander  E.  Livermore   11       " 

Samuel    D.    Davis    16      " 

TRE.\SURERS. 

Thos.  B.   Stillman    19  years 

J.  Frank  Hubbard   15       " 

CORRESPONDING   SECRET.\RIES. 

Geo.   B.  Utter    9  years 

J.   Bennett   Clarke    11 

Geo.    H.    Babcock    8      " 


456  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

RECORDING   SECRETARIES. 

Thos.  B.  Brown  '. 7  years 

Edwin   Whitford    ■. 6 

Arthur    L.    Titsworth 12      " 

SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTIST    PUBLICATIONS. 

Our  publications  have  embraced  two  general  classes : 

1.  Those  designed  to  be  financially  self-sustaining. 

2.  Those  supported  largely  by  contributions  from  the 
people  of  the  denomination. 

The  principal  publications  intended  to  be  self-supporting 
have  been  The  Sabbath  Recorder,  The  Helping  Hand,  Lesson 
Leaves,  and  The  Sabbath  Visitor. 

The  following  have  been  the  main  denominational  publi- 
cations since  1872 : 

The  Sabbath  Recorder  the  entire  time,  with  a  Sabbath  Re- 
form edition  from  1898  to  December,  1901. 

The  Sabbath  School  Journal,  1874. 

The  Bible  Scholar,  1877-79. 

The  Outlook  (under  various  titles),  1882-97. 

De  Boodschappcr  (by  assistance)  since  1882. 

Our  Sabbath  Visitor,  1882-1902. 

TJie  Sabbath  J'isitor,  since  February,  1902. 

The  Sabbath  Chronicle,  1883. 

The  Missionary  Reporter,  1883-85. 

Seventh-day  Baptist  Quarterly,   1884. 

Biblical  Teachings  Concerning  the  Sabbath  and  the  Sun- 
day, 1884  and  1888. 

The  Light  of  Home,  1885-90. 

Evangelii  Harold,  1885-90. 

Evangelii  Biidbarare,  1890-1902. 

The  Helping  Hand,  1885-1902. 

A  Critical  History  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  Sunday,  1886. 

Seventh-day  Baptist  Handbook,  1887. 

Sabbath  Commentary,  1888. 

The  Sabbath  Outpost,  1888. 

A  Critical  History  of  Sunday  Legislation,  1888  and  1891. 

Eduth  le  Israel,  1888-90. 

Peculiar  People,  1889-98. 

Proceedings  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Council,  1890. 

Jubilee  Papers,  1892. 


TRACT    SOCIETY.  457 

Sabbath  Reform  Library,  1892. 
Pagajiisni  Swviving  in  Christianity,  1892. 
The  Catholicisation  of  Protestantism  on  the  Sabbath  Ques- 
tion, or  Sunday  Observance  Non-Protestant,  1897. 
Studies  in  Sabbath  Reform,  1898. 
Szvift  Decadence  of  Sunday — What  Next?  1899, 
Letters  to  Young  Preachers  and  Their  Hearers,  1900. 
The  Sabbath  of  Christ,  1902,  and 
Millions  of  pages  of  tracts. 

The  following  names  represent  those  who  have  contributed 
most  largely  to  our  publications,  either  as  editors  or  authors, 
during  the  century  whose  close  we  are  now  celebrating: 

William  B.  Maxson,  Eli  S.  Bailey,  Henry  Clarke,  John  Maxson, 
Joel  Green,  Alexander  Campbell,  James  Bailey,  William  M.  Jones,  Geo. 
B.  Utter,  Lucius  Crandall,  Walter  B.  Gillette,  Thos.  B.  Brown,  Joseph 
W.  Morton,  Halsey  H.  Baker,  Stephen  Burdick,  J.  E.  N.  Backus, 
Nathan  Wardner,  Nathan  V.  Hull,  Oliver  D.  Sherman,  Lewis  A. 
Plats,  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  Asa  B.  Prentice,  Elston  M.  Dunn,  Arthur  E. 
Main,  Darwin  E.  Maxson,  E.  S.  Bliss,  Abram  H.  Lewis,  Correl  D. 
Potter,  Frank  E.  Peterson, Oscar  U.  Whitford,  G.  Velthuysen,  Pres. 
Wm.  C.  Whitford,  William  C.  Daland,  Ch.  Th.  Lucky,  Prof.  Wm.  C. 
Whitford,  Leander  E.  Livermore,  Wardner  C.  Titsworth,  Lester  C. 
Randolph,  Herman  D.  Clarke,  J.  F.  Shaw. 

In  the  compilation  of  the  catalogue  of  publications  which 
forms  a  part  of  this  historical  record,  very  valuable  help  was 
found  in  Rev.  Stephen  Burdick's  most  excellent  article  on 
"Our  Publications"  in  the  Jubilee  Papers,  published  in  1892, 
the  catalogue  being  so  accurate  and  complete  up  to  that  date, 
that  much  of  it  has  been  incorporated  in  full  in  this  history, 
for  which  the  author  of  this  paper  desires  to  make  grateful 
acknowledgment.  Addenda  have  been  embodied  from  1892 
to  1902.  The  catalogue  of  all  Seventh-day  Baptist  publica- 
tions compiled  in  connection  with  this  history,  proved  too 
bulky  for  embodiment  in  this  volume,  but  it  may  be  issued  at 
some  future  time  as  a  separate  publication. 

IN   CONCLUSION. 

It  is  not  perhaps  within  the  province  of  this  historical  pa- 
per to  draw  the  lessons  we  should  learn  from  this  record,  as 
tliey  have  suggested  themselves  to  us  all  the  way  along,  but 
before  concluding,  it  does  seem  that  the  occasion  and  the  hour 


458  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

demand  a  closing  word  concerning  the  crowning  work  of  this 
society  on  behalf  of  the  cause,  and  the  denomination. 

The  work  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  in- 
volves the  fundamental  reason  for  our  denominational  exist- 
ence. The  word  of  God  is  its  sole  foundation.  The  propaga- 
tion of  the  Sabbath  holds  the  next  place  to  its  observance.  In 
making  the  truth  knov,n  outside  ourselves,  no  force  has  been 
more  potent  than  the  publications  of  this  society. 

The  influence  of  the  Outlook  and  its  successors  no  man 
can  measure.  The  Outlook  had  its  power  in  its  intensity  and 
its  unity.  Its  influence  on  the  public  mind  grew  steadily  from 
the  first.  As  a  means  of  agitation  and  enlightenment,  it  was 
by  far  the  most  efficient  agency  in  our  denominational  history. 
Brief  publications  as  tracts,  newspapers,  magazine  articles, 
etc.,  could  not  enter  upon  such  research,  hence  our  own  litera- 
ture of  other  years  had  not  attempted  a  complete  and  minute 
survey  of  the  field.  The  Outlook  accomplished  a  most  care- 
ful and  detailed  examination  of  Egyptian,  Asiatic,  Babylonian, 
Assyrian,  and  early  church  history,  in  order  to  find  the  source 
of  the  sun  worship  cult ;  the  origin  of  the  week ;  the  existence 
of  the  Sabbath  outside  the  line  of  Hebrew  history,  and  before 
the  time  of  Moses.  Few  writers  on  the  Sabbath  question  had 
attempted  any  careful  survey  of  these  fields,  and  in  those  por- 
tions which  had  been  partially  surveyed,  many  ultimate  facts 
were  still  unknown,  or  were  sadly  perverted.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances the  pages  of  the  Outlook  cost  an  amount  of  patient, 
careful  and  persistent  labor,  which  those  unacquainted  with 
such  work  can  scarcely  appreciate.  The  Outlook  and  its  suc- 
cessors never  took  facts  or  theories  at  second  hand.  They  were 
traced  to  the  fountain  head,  and  all  statements  were  verified 
by  the  original  authorities.  This  work  is  worth  to  this  de- 
nomination very  many  times  its  cost,  as  a  permanent  Sabbath 
literature;  a  literature  that  is  an  acknowledged  authority  with- 
in and  withovit  our  own  ranks,  among  scholars  engaged  in 
historical  research.  Dr.  C.  D.  Potter,  one  of  the  editors,  who 
worked  earnestly  and  wielded  so  trenchant  a  pen,  has  gone  to 
the  reward  of  his  faithful  labors,  but  his  co-laborer.  Dr.  A.  H. 
Lewis,  the  honored  Corresponding  Secretary  of  this  society,  is 
still  left  to  the  work,  and  is  rearing  in  it  his  own  immortal 
monument. 


TRACT    SOCIETY.  459 

The  presentation  of  our  cause  by  Dr.  Lewis  before  a  com- 
mittee of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States ;  before  State  Legis- 
latures ;  before  Sabbath  unions ;  before  a  host  of  assembled 
Jews ;  before  the  ParHament  of  ReHgions  at  Chicago ;  and  be- 
fore our  own  people,  as  circumstances  would  permit,  have  been 
opportunities  improved  and  fruitful  of  great  good,  but  the  Out- 
look; the  Outlook  and  Sabbath  Quarterly;  the  Sabbath  Out- 
look; the  Evangel  and  Sabbath  Outlook;  the  Light  of  Home; 
and  the  Sabbath  of  Christy  coupled  with  Biblical  Teachings 
and  Critical  Histories,  have  secured  for  this  denomination  and 
the  truth  that  is  the  sole  cause  of  its  individual  existence,  a  re- 
pute for  being  founded  on  the  immutable  law  of  God,  that  we 
believe  could  not  have  been  accomplished  in  any  other  way  in 
so  brief  a  period.  If  this  work  and  the  work  now  in  hand  de- 
prive some  of  us  of  the  magnetic  influence  of  personal  con- 
tact and  social  interview  w'ith  the  author,  let  us  make  the  sac- 
rifice willingly,  that  a  much  more  far-reaching  and  enduring 
work  may  be  accomplished. 

The  years  have  fallen  behind,  in  which  Gospel  tent  work, 
itinerant  lecturing,  and  spasmodic  revival  efforts,  were  main- 
ly employed  to  sway  the  people.  The  present  era  is  essentially 
that  of  the  printed  page  and  a  reading  public,  and  it  behooves 
this  society  to  conserve  every  remaining  life  energy  of  its 
authors  and  historians,  that  not  one  stroke  of  the  slogan  pens 
be  lost  to  this  people,  ere  they  be  laid  down  forever. 

Probably  there  never  was  a  period  when  there  was  so 
little  confidence  in  the  claims  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  to 
religious  regard,  as  at  present.  Everywhere  clergymen  and 
others  are  feeling  after  arguments  to  sustain  the  crumbling 
institution  of  Sunday.  Let  us  again  shower  upon  them  the 
"thunders  of  Sinai,"  and  give  them  food  for  thought  that  shall 
lead  to  conviction,  as  was  done  for  many  years.  We  have 
abundant  evidence  that  our  publications  have  guided  a  host  of 
people  to  a  knowledge  of  God's  demands,  and  to  a  loving  obe- 
dience to  His  law ;  thousands  of  laymen  and  a  hundred  minis- 
ters. Other  methods  of  Sabbath  Reform  work  pale  before 
this,  the  paramount  duty  of  the  hour.  Then  let  us  rally  with 
a  mighty  determination  to  the  support  of  the  work  of  this  so- 
ciety, so  that  soon  the  Sabbath  of  Christ  and  kindred  publi- 
cations to  follow  it,  may  not  only  restore  to  us  the  prestige  at- 


460  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

tained  through  the  Outlook,  but  lead  us  on.  and  out  to  far 
mightier  conquests.  The  work  and  the  harvest  are  not  for 
our  time  alone,  but  as  well  for  the  succeeding  centuries,  and 
for  those  who  shall  make  history  in  them.  Is  is  true  that  we 
have  no  destiny  because  of  our  insignificance?  The  broaden- 
ing and  complexity  of  the  field  should  not  narrow  our  simple 
conception  of  duty,  for  the  reward  is  not  according  to  the 
magnitude  of  the  work,  nor  the  number  of  workers,  but  the 
faithfulness  with  which  the  work  is  performed.  If  we  have 
been  too  spasmodic  in  effort,  and  too  impatient  of  results,  dis- 
couragement will  not  lead  to  conquest,  but  emphasizing  our 
hopes;  glorifying  our  encouragements;  with  concentration  of 
power ;  unity  of  effort,  and  consecration  of  means ;  in  the  spirit 
of  the  Master,  with  line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept, 
let  us  sow  !  sow  !  sow  !  and  pound  !  pound  !  pound  !  until  the  tot- 
tering strongholds  of  error  shall  fall  in  ruins.  "Truth  crushed 
to  earth  shall  rise  again,  for  the  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers." 


SEVENTH-DAY     BAPTIST 
EDUCATION  SOCIETY. 


PROFESSOR  EDWARD  MULFORD  TOMLINSON, 

LITT.  D.,  LL.  D. 

See  Biographical   Sketches,    p.  1361. 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  EDUCA- 
TION   SOCIETY. 


Rev.  W.  L.   Burdick. 


PIONEER  EDUCATION  SOCIETIES. 

The  first  education  societies  formed  by  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists so  far  as  recorded,  were  organized  in  compliance  with  the 
following  resolution  adopted  by  Conference  in  1834: 

"Resolved,  That  the  Conference  recommend  the  forma- 
tion of  education  societies  in  the  several  religious  societies  hi 
the  connection,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  funds  to  assist  in  the 
education  of  young  men  who  give  evidence  of  a  call  to  the 
ministry." 

In  accordance  with  this  resolution  societies  were  formed 
at  Shiloh  and  Piscataway,  N.  J. ;  Waterford,  Conn. ;  Westerly, 
R.  I. ;  Independence  and  Friendship,  N.  Y.,  and  perhaps  else- 
where. These  societies  became  auxiliary  to  a  general  educa- 
tion society  formed  at  Westerly.  R.  I..  September  14.  1835. 
called  the  American  Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society. 
This  society  was  evidently  organized  to  centralize  the  efforts 
of  the  societies  formed  by  the  churches.  The  object  as  set 
forth  in  Article  2  of  its  constitution  was  as  follows :  "The 
object  of  the  society  shall  be  to  assist  young  men  of  the 
Seventh-dav  connection  who  shall  cfivc  evidence  of  bein<r  call- 


464  Sh'.VI'.N'ril-D.W    IIAI'I  ISTS: 

(i|    In    lllr    IllillisllV,    ill    I  i|i|;ii|iiiii;    ;i    sllil.ihic    <•(  |in;il  ii  u  1    fni     lli:it 

iiii{  M  >i  i.iiii    \v(  )i"k." 

I'.li  S.  r.;iilcv  \v:is  rliosi'ii  I 'rcsidciil ,  I  .ik  iiis  (  i.iiulall  Kt.'- 
KiKliii}^  Set  rcl;ir\'  .iiid  )iilm  I'.iij-Jil  (  1 11  rcsp.  Hiding  Sccrclary. 
A  hniiiid  c-opv  1)1'  tlif  iii.iiiiiMi  i|)l  iiiiiiiilc.  Ill  iliis  s<icicl\'  for  its 
lirsl  two  N'c.'irs  li.is  liiiii  |i!;iicd  in  llic  IiIh.hn  id  Allird  Uiii- 
vi'isitv.  I  lie  iiiiiiiiirs  (j|  die  .iiiiiiiid  II Ki'l iiij^s,  for  tvvo  yoafs 
Idiim'!',  lK^^7;iiid  i<S  .j(S,  ;iic  |)i  iiilc(|  111  (  I  iiiiiicl  i' 111  with  die  ( 'oii- 
Iciilicc  lllilllltc'S  lOf  lllosr  \i';ils  .iiid  dicli  llic  ^lnui\  dlnps  oiil 
(il  Iiislnry. 

StilniiKJii  (';ii|u!il(i,  1;.  ( '.  (iiiinli,  I,.  I).  ,\\(r.s  and  Wil- 
liam (  '.  I\c!i\(iii  wcic  aided  li\'  diis  siicicl\.  Imhiii  tiiiU'  \n 
liiiii  cdlnalKHi  (  c  iiiiiiiillccs  were  a|  >|)i  linlcd  |)\  llic  (  iciicial  (  nu- 
ll iciuc  widi  a  vii'w  In  adsaiuiiii;,  in  variniis  ways,  nin  I'duca- 
llnlial  illl^•I■t•st^.  III  \'\\'),  die  (  ni  1  Ici  .iicc  passed  a  icsnjlltinn 
K  ((iicslini;  "dii-  ilillcicnl  Assncial  mir,  n|  diis  <lfiinniiiialiMii  In 
apjininl  cniiiiiiil  Ifi's  (d  live,  al  llieii  ne\l  .iniii  veisaries,  tn  aci 
in  c'niic-eil,  III  making  in(|iiiries  iclalivt'  In  die  iimsl  leasihle 
Inc'alinn  lni  ;i  ciille^e  .nid  lliei  )|n^ical  StlililiaiN  and  repnil  ilii- 
resnll  nl  llir.e  lll(|llllll•^  In  lIlc  lU'Xl  SfSsinil  nl  llle  ( 'nl  ll  erelK'l'." 
.\l    llie   same   lime   il    passed   lllis   li'Snlnl  inll  : 

'7\'(.v<'/. '(■(/,  'I'liat  iIk'  C'oiiferi'nce  appnini  an  edneatinnal 
('nllimillee,  ullnse  luisiiiess  sliall  lii'  In  lalmi'  In  seeiire  lllllds 
Ini  ednfalinii:d  pm  pnses,  Imld  annual  st'ssiniis  aiul  Lake  sneli 
I  lliei  nii-asiires  Ini  the  eslalihshiiieiit  nf  a  enllei^e  and  Ulenjn^i- 
lal  seiiiinar\',  :is  llie\  iiia\  deem  pmpei,  with  the  (.-xceptioii  of 
Inealm;;    the   iiisl  il  ill  inn." 

In  atenrd.ince  with  these  icsnhiliniis  llu'  i-ninniittee  ap- 
jioinled  h\  (  nii  ii'ii-iui',  and  llinse  .ippninU'(|  hy  IIk'  yAssoeiatioil, 
liild  a  eniixenlinii  in  enimeiiinn  with  the  aiuiivcrsarios  llchl  ill 
AllVed,  in  1X50,  urf^anized  a  society,  adopted  a  constitution,  • 
and  ileiud  olTR-ors.  This  society  met  din-inj;  the  anniversaries 
of  the  henevoleni  societies  in  1H51.  It  had  not  heen  ahle  to  se- 
cure a  (piniiim  dm  ill},;  tlu-  yi'ar,  hnt  had  raised  a  little  money. 
It  re-elected  the  previous  ollicers.  Upon  the  orj^ani/atioii  of 
the  ]-resent  socii'ly  in   1S55  this  society  was  dishaudi'd. 

'riiesi'  iiin\iiiienls  wi'ii'  oiL;;iiii/ed  idlorts  lor  the  aceoiii- 
plishnu'iil  id  the  end  Im   wliieli  the  jjii'si'nt  society  was  formed, 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  465 

namely,  the  promotion  of  education  among  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists. 

ORGAXIZATfON  OF  THE   PRESENT  SOCIETY. 

The  Conference  in  1852,  held  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  ap- 
pointed T.  B.  Stillman,  W.  B.  ]\Iaxson,  W.  C.  Kenyon,  J.  H. 
Cochran.  J.  R.  Irish.  Lucius  Crandall.  J.  Allen.  G.  B.  Utter 
and  O.  U.  Hull,  an  Education  Committee,  with  instructions  to 
"take  such  measures  as  it  may  deem  proper  in  regard  to  our 
educational  interests."  At  this  time  in  our  history  the  Gen- 
cial  Conference  met  only  triennially,  but  the  committee  dur- 
ing the  annual  meeting  of  the  benevolent  societies,  held  at 
Adams  Centre.  X.  Y.,  October,  1853,  called  a  public  meeting 
for  consultation,  at  which  the  committee  was  recommended 
to  make  investigations  regarding  the  best  location  for  a  liter- 
ary and  theological  institution. 

Again  in  1854  the  committee  held  several  sessions  during 
the  anniversary  of  the  Benevolent  Society  at  Little  Genesee, 
N.  Y.  It  adopted  a  constitution  as  a  basis  for  a  new  society, 
and  passed  the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  we  appoint  a  general  agent,  whose  duty 
it  shall  be  to  visit  the  entire  denomination,  and  secure  sub- 
scriptions in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  constitution 
and  that  we  also  appoint  an  assistant  agent  in  each  association 
to  assist  the  general  agent  as  he  may  require." 

J.  Allen  was  appointed  general  agent,  J.  R.  Irish  alternate ; 
A.  B.  Burdick  assistant  agent  for  Eastern  Association,  W.  B. 
Maxson  for  Central,  N.  V.  Hull  for  Western,  C.  P.  Hull  for 
Northwestern,  and  Simeon  Babcock  for  Ohio  Association. 

At  the  same  time  this  committee  passed  this  resolution: 

"Resolved,  That  we  request  the  friends  of  the  enterprise, 
either  individually  or  by  church  action,  as  they  may  deem 
proper,  to  send  to  the  secretary  of  the  coiumittee,  before  the 
next  Conference,  their  choice  for  the  location  of  the  institu- 
tion." 

In  the  report  of  J.  Allen,  the  general  agent,  made  to  the 
committee  next  year,  we  find  the  following: 

"I  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  agency  on  the  fourth  of 
last  December,  commencing  mi  the  Eastern  Association. 


466  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

"The  form  of  subscription  adopted  was  as  follows : 

"We,  the  undersigned,  hereby  subscribe  the  sums  set  op- 
posite our  names  towards  the  permanent  fund  of  the  Seventh- 
day  Baptist  Education  Society,  provided  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  shall  be  subscribed,  and  a  like  ratio  for  whatever  sum 
less  than  that  amount  is  subscribed.  The  subscription  thus 
made  shall  be  subject  to  the  conditions  and  provisions  of  the 
constitution  of  the  society  adopted  by  the  committee  of  the 
General  Conference,  September  15,  1854. 

"The  subject  was  generally  very  cordially  received  by 
those  to  whom  it  was  presented ;  but  several  grave  difficulties 
were  found  to  be  in  the  way  of  complete  success.  The  subject 
had  not  been  sufificiently  agitated — not  sufificiently  before  the 
minds  of  the  people.  The  leading  and  controlling  minds  of 
the  denomination  had  not,  as  a  general  thing,  committed  them- 
selves publicly  and  decisively  to  the  measure.  But  perhaps  the 
greatest  difficulties  were  the  financial  embarrassments  resting 
upon  all  departments  of  business  and  the  question  of  location 
being  undetermined. 

"I  have  obtained  subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars.  My  charges  for  service,  with  expenses  of 
travel,  are  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  I  have  received  one 
dollar." 

Regarding  the  vote  upon  location  this  same  report  states 
that  "Nineteen  churches  voted.  Seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine  votes  were  cast,  six  hundred  and  ninety  of  which  were 
for  Alfred,  and  seventy  for  various  other  places." 

This  committee  made  a  report  to  the  Conference  held  in 
Brookfield,  N.  Y.,  September,  1855,  which  was  adopted,  and 
this  resolution  passed,  authorizing  the  formation  of  an  educa- 
tion society : 

"Resolved,  That  as  the  votes  given  on  the  question  of  the 
location  for  a  denominational  college  and  theological  seminary 
make  a  majority  for  Alfred  Center,  N.  Y.  (though  the  vote 
altogether  is  not  deemed  equal  to  the  importance  of  the  sub- 
ject), the  Conference  waive  any  further  action  on  the  subject 
except  to  recommend  the  organization  of  an  educational  so- 
ciety upon  the  constitution  presented  by  the  Educational  Com- 
mittee, and  advise  that  the  sociqiv  so  formed  have  the  entire 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  467 

management  of  the  subject  committed  to  it  from  this  time  with 
due  regard  to  the  vote  of  the  churches." 

In  comphance  with  the  above  resokition,  in  the  First 
Brookfield  church  at  Leonardsville,  N.  Y.,  September  8.  1855, 
a  convention  was  called  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society.  The  convention  was 
called  to  order  by  Thomas  B.  Stillman,  who  was  appointed 
chairman  of  the  convention.  After  some  modification,  the 
constitution  presented  by  the  Education  Committee  and  re- 
commended by  Conference  was  adopted  as  the  constitutional 
law  of  the  new  society.  During  an  adjournment  of  the  con- 
vention, the  society  formed  in  1850  met,  disposed  of  what 
money  it  had  on  hand,  and  disbanded. 

The  new  organization  was  completed  by  the  appointment 
of  the  following  board  of  officers :  President,  Thomas  B. 
Stillman ;  Recording  Secretary,  J.  Allen ;  Treasurer,  Clark 
Rogers ;  \"ice-Presidents,  William  B.  Maxson,  W.  C.  Kenyon, 
James  R.  Irish,  Lucius  Crandall,  Henry  L.  Jones,  A.  C.  Spicer, 
Thomas  R.  Williams,  James  Bailey.  S.  S.  Griswold,  Garritt 
Smith,  A.  B.  Burdick,  George  B.  Utter,  C.  H.  Stillman,  A.  R. 
Cornwall,  David  Dunn,  John  Whitford,  George  Greenman, 
Benjamin  Maxson,  J.  R.  Hunting;  Directors,  N.  V.  Hull. 
T.  B.  Brown,  L.  C.  Rogers,  Welcome  Stillman,  D.  E.  Maxson, 
H.  H.  Baker,  A.  D.  Titsworth,  P.  L.  Berry,  O.  P.  Hull,  W.  B. 
Gillette. 

The  society  w^as  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  October  15.  1856,  but  for  two  or  three  years 
the  working  force  and  headquarters  of  the  Executive  Board 
seem  to  have  been  Plainfield.  N.  J.,  afterwards  at  Alfred, 
N.  Y.      '        ■ 

There  was,  it  is  recorded,  a  most  commendable  unanimity 
of  spirit  and  purpose  in  this  movement,  and  the  late  President 
W.  C.  W'hitford  in  an  address  in  1888.  declared  that  the  or- 
ganization of  the  society  marked  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Seventh-day   Baptist   denomination. 

COX.STITUTION   OF   THE  .SOCIETY. 

Below  is  the  constitution  as  adopted  by  the  convention  a? 
the  basis  of  the  society's  organization  : 

Article  i.  This  association  shall  be  known  by  the  name 
of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society. 


468  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS  : 

Article  2.  The  object  of  this  society  shall  be  the  promo- 
tion of  education,  in  such  a  manner  as  shall  tend  to  the  ulti- 
mate founding  and  full  endowment  of  a  denominational  col- 
lege and  theological  seminary. 

Article  3.  Any  person,  by  contributing  two  dollars,  may 
become  a  member  of  this  society  for  one  year,  which  mem- 
bership may  be  renewed  for  a  year  by  the  payment  of  one  dol- 
lar. Each  subscriber  of  twenty-five  dollars,  which  may  be 
met  by  two  payments,  shall  be  a  member  for  life.  Societies, 
churches,  or  associations,  may  become  auxiliaries  by  contribut- 
ing to  its  funds,  and  shall  be  entitled  to  one  vote  for  every  ten 
dollars  contributed. 

Article  4.  The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a 
President,  Vice-Presidents,  a  Recording  Secretary,  a  Corres- 
ponding Secretary,  a  Treasurer,  and  ten  Directors,  whose  re- 
spective duties  shall  be  the  same  as  those  of  like  officers  of 
similar  associations,  and  shall  be  elected  annually. 

Article  5.  Section  I.  The  society  shall  proceed,  as  soon 
as  practicable,  to  establish  a  Literary  Institution  and  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  The  professors  in  the  theological  semin- 
ary s*hall  be  Seventh-day  Baptists — the  presidency  of  the  liter- 
ary institution  shall  always  be  filled  by  a  Seventh-day  Baptist 
— the  other  professors  and  teachers  to  be  such  as  the  Trustees 
of  the  institution,  acting  in  conjunction  with  the  society,  shall 
see  fit  to  elect.  Section  II.  Three-fourths  of  the  trustees  of 
the  institution  shall,  at  all  times,  be  Seventh-day  Baptists. 
Section  III.  Any  person  contributing  the  sum  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars,  or  more,  towards  the  endowment  of  literary  pro- 
fessorships, or  securing  its  future  payments  to  the  society, 
with  the  interest  being  paid  thereon  yearly,  shall  have  the 
privilege  of  perpetually  receiving  in  return,  toward  the  edu- 
cation of  a  scholar  at  the  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  per  annum,  for 
the  time  of  actual  attendance,  on  the  amount  paid  or  secured 
to  the  society.  All  tuition  in  the  theological  department  shall 
be  free.  Section  IV.  All  contributions  designated  by  their 
donors  for  a  particular  object,  shall  be  accordingly  appropri- 
ated. Contributions  not  thus  designated  shall  be  disposed  of 
according  to  the  pleasure  of  the  society.  All  subscriptions  for 
the  endowment  of  professorships  shall  constitute  a  permanent 


A  GROUP  OF  REPRESENTATIVE  EDUCATORS. 
Charles  R.  Head,  M.  D.  Rev.  Amos   R.   Cornwall. 

Professor  Henry  C    Coon.  Rev.  Sanford   L.   Maxson. 

See   Biographical   Sketches,    p.  1361. 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  469 

fund,  and  only  the  interest  accruing  thereon  shall  be  used  for 
the  objects  specified. 

Article  6.  The  society  shall  hold  its  annual  session  at 
such  time  and  place  as  shall  have  been  agreed  upon  at  a  pre- 
vious meeting. 

Article  7.  The  officers  of  the  society  shall  constitute  a 
board  for  the  transaction  of  business.  The  board  shall  hold 
meetings  as  often  as  once  in  three  months,  and  special  meet- 
ings as  occasion  may  require,  at  the  call  of  any  two  of  its  mem- 
bers, through  the  Corresponding  Secretary.  Five  members 
shall  constitute  a  quorum,  and  shall  have  power  to  transact  all 
business  pertaining  to  the  interests  of  the  society. 

Article  8.  This  constitution  may  be  amended  at  any 
regular  meeting,  by  a  majority  vote  of  the  members  present, 
provided  such  amendment  shall  have  been  recommended  by 
the  board,  or  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  without  such  recommen- 
dation." 

The  constitution  has  since  remained  substantially  as 
adopted,  though  the  following  amendments  have  been  made: 

At  the  first  annual  meeting  Article  5,  Section  3,  was  so 
amended  as  to  make  those  who  paid  one  hundred  dollars  or 
more,  etc.,  permanent  members  of  the  society. 

In  1859,  the  society  adopted  an  amendment  to  Article  5 
requiring  the  institution  to  report  annually  to  the  society. 

Again  in  1866  the  constitution  of  the  society  was  so 
amended  as  to  include  within  its  supervision  all  the  institu- 
tions and  educational  interests  of  the  denomination.  J.  Allen 
was  the  instigator  of  this  amendment. 

A  sweeping  constitutional  change  was  made  in  1878,  but 
was  rescinded  in  the  annual  meeting  of  1879.  The  amend- 
ments provided  for  the  supposed  necessary  changes  to  make 
the  society  a  constituent  member  of  the  General  Conference, 
the  officers  reporting  direct  to  the  Conference.  The  Execu- 
tive Board  did  so  report  in  1878. 

A  committee  of  ten  was  appointed  to  investigate  the  legal 
status  of  such  a  move.  The  decision  of  the  committee,  which 
reported  in   1880,  was  that  such  action  was  illegal. 

In  order  to  bring  the  society  in  more  direct  touch  with  the 
churches,  an  amendment  was  adopted  in  1893  to  Article  3. 
"entitling  all  churches  of  the    Seventh-day    Baptist    General 


470  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

Conference  to  representation  in  annual  or  special  meeting 
through  their  delegates  to  the  Conference,  which  delegates,  if 
not  otherwise  members,  shall  in  virtue  of  their  appointment, 
by  the  churches,  be  members  until  its  next  annual  meeting." 

This  amendment  also  reduces  the  annual  membership  fee 
to  one  dollar,  omits  the  obsolete  provision  by  which  "societies, 
churches  and  associations"  could  become  auxiliaries,  and  limits 
those  eligible  to  membership  to  Seventh-day  Baptists,  though 
all  who  were  then  life  members  continued  such,  whether 
Seventh-day  Baptists  or  not. 

Below  we  give  the  constitution  as  last  ailiended : 

Article  i.  This  association  shall  be  known  by  the  name 
of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society. 

Article  2.  The  object  of  this  society  shall  be  the  promo- 
tion of  education,  in  such  a  manner  as  shall  tend  to  the  ulti- 
mate founding  and  full  endowment  of  a  denominational  col- 
lege and  theological  seminary ;  likewise  the  support  of  all  in- 
stitutions under  the  control  of  the  denomination,  the  founding 
of  new  institutions,  and  the  advancement  of  the  interests  of 
education   generally   in  the   denomination. 

Article  3.  The  members  of  this  society  shall  consist  first, 
of  all  persons  who  are  now  life  members ;  also  persons  who 
shall  contribute  twenty-five  dollars  in  their  own  name,  and  in 
not  more  than  two  payments,  may  become  life  members ;  and 
persons  contributing  one  dollar  annually  to  the  funds  of  the 
society  may  become  members ;  but  only  Seventh-day  Baptists 
shall  be  eligible  to  membership. 

All  churches  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Con- 
ference shall  be  entitled  to  representation  in  annual  or  special 
meeting  through  their  delegates  to  the  Conference,  which  dele- 
gates, if  not  otherwise  members,  shall  in  virtue  of  their  ap- 
pointment by  the  churches,  be  members  until  its  next  annual 
meeting. 

Article  4.  The  officers  of  the  society  shall  consist  of  a 
President,  Vice-Presidents,  a  Recording  Secretary,  a  Corres- 
ponding Secretary,  a  Treasurer  and  ten  Directors,  whose  re- 
spective duties  shall  be  the  same  as  those  of  like  officers  of 
similar  associations,  and  who  shall  be  elected  annually. 

Article  5.  Section  i.  The  society  shall  proceed  to  estab- 
lish a    theological    seminary    and    literary    institutions.     The 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  47 1 

Presidents  and  Principals  of  these  institutions  shall  always  be 
Seventh-day  Baptists.  The  majority  of  the  professors  and 
teachers  of  each  institution  shall  at  all  times  be  Seventh-day 
Baptists ;  the  remainder  to  be  such  as  the  Trustees  of  the  in- 
stitution, acting  in  conjunction  with  the  society,  shall  see  fit  to 
elect.  Section  2.  Three-fourths  of  the  Trustees  of  each  in- 
stitution shall  at  all  times  be  Seventh-day  Baptists.  Each 
Board  of  Trustees  shall  make  to  this  society  an  annual  report 
of  the  financial  and  literary  condition  of  the  institution  under 
their  charge ;  also  of  all  their  proceedings  in  reference  to  the 
same.  Section  3.  Any  person  contributing  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  dollars,  or  more,  toward  the  endowment  of  literary 
professorships,  or  securing  its  future  payment  to  the  society, 
with  the  interest  being  paid  thereon  yearly,  shall  be  a  perma- 
nent member  of  the  society,  and  shall  also  have  the  privilege 
of  perpetually  receiving  in  return,  toward  the  education  of  a 
scholar,  at  the  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  per  annum,  for  the  time  of 
actual  attendance,  on  the  amount  paid  or  secured  to  the  so- 
ciety. All  tuition  in  the  theological  department  shall  be  free. 
Section  4.  All  contributions  designated  by  their  donors  for  a 
particular  object,  shall  be  accordingly  appropriated.  Contri- 
butions not  thus  designated,  shall  be  disposed  of  according  to 
the  pleasure  of  the  society.  All  subscriptions  for  the  endow- 
ment of  professorships  shall  constitute  a  permanent  fund,  and 
only  the  interest  accruing  thereon  shall  be  used  for  the  objects 
specified. 

Article  6.  This  society  shall  hold  its  annual  session  at 
such  time  and  place  as  shall  have  been  agreed  upon  at  a  pre- 
vious meeting. 

Article  7.  The  officers  of  this  society  shall  constitute  a 
board  for  the  transaction  of  business.  The  board  shall  hold 
meetings  as  often  as  once  in  three  months,  and  special  meet- 
ings as  occasion  may  require,  at  the  call  of  any  two  of  its 
members,  through  the  Recording  Secretary.  Five  members 
shall  constitute  a  quorum,  and  shall  have  power  to  transact  all 
business  pertaining  to  the  interests  of  the  society. 

Article  8.  This  constitution  may  be  amended  at  any  reg- 
ular meeting,  by  a  majority  vote  of  the  members  present,  pro- 
vided such  amendment  shall  have  been  recommended  by  the 


472  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

board,  or  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  without  such  recommenda- 
tion. 

A  DENOMINATIONAL   COLLEGE   ESTABLISHED. 

The  work  of  the  society  from  its  inception  to  the  present 
has  been  in  accordance  with  the  object  set  forth  in  Article  2  of 
its  constitution.  That  which  had  led  to  the  organization  of 
the  present  society  as  well  as  the  pioneer  ones,  and  the  ap- 
pointment of  educational  committees  for  a  score  of  years,  was 
the  growing  conviction  among  us  that  we  as  a  denomination 
must  provide  educational  facilities  for  our  young  men  and 
women.  At  the  time  the  society  was  organized,  we  had  no 
college  or  theological  seminary  and  no  classes  taking  collegi- 
ate and  theological  courses.  None  of  the  young  women,  it 
is  said,  and  only  a  few  of  the  young  men  had  graduated  from 
other  colleges  or  were  then  attending  them.  Only  two  of  our 
ministers  had  taken  full  courses  in  a  theological  seminary  and 
they  were  not  pastors  of  our  churches.  This  situation  was  de- 
manding a  denominational  college  and  theological  seminary 
and  opinion  had  been  crystallizing  to  that  efifect.  The  subject 
had  been  before  our  people  and  the  whole  matter  had  been 
turned  over  to  the  society  by  the  General  Conference,  in  the 
resolution  which  provided  for  its  organization.  Therefore  the 
first  thing  the  society  was  expected  to  do,  and  did  do,  was  to 
proceed  to  found  a  college. 

To  start  with,  the  question  of  location  must  be  settled. 
Though  nineteen  churches  had  voted  on  the  cjuestion,  and  all 
had  been  asked  thus  to  do,  the  General  Conference  did  not 
deem  this  final  and  passed  the  final  decision  over  to  the  newly 
organized  society.  The  Executive  Board  immediately  ap- 
pointed Thomas  B.  Stillman,  George  Greenman  and  Lucius 
Crandall  a  committee  to  make  inquiries  concerning  the  most 
feasible  location  for  the  proposed  institution.  This  committee 
made  to  the  Board  the  following  report : 

"Your  committee  appointed  to  take  into  consideration  the 
question  of  college  location,  would  respectfully  submit  the  fol- 
lowing report : 

"The  committee  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  its  duties, 
having  a  general  line  of  procedure  marked  out  by  the  previous 
action  of  the  General  Conference  upon  the  same  subject.  Con- 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  473 

ference  had  caused  an  expression  of  the  opinion  of  the  denomi- 
nation to  be  taken,  in  reference  to  a  location,  which  expres- 
sion, though  not  as  full  and  complete  as  the  importance  of  the 
subject  would  seem  to  demand,  yet  your  committee  recognize 
in  it  a  general  concurrent  sentiment  worthy  of  respectful  con- 
sideration. 

"The  general  sentiment  seems,  by  the  votes  cast  upon  the 
subject,  to  be  in  favor  of  Alfred  as  the  preferable  place  of  lo- 
cation. Your  committee,  after  maturely  considering  the  sub- 
ject, in  their  opinion,  find  this  prevailing  sentiment  justified 
by  the  following  considerations : 

"i.  That  at  Alfred  is  a  well-established  school,  in  respect 
to  its  hold  on  the  public  confidence  and  patronage,  and  possess- 
ing many  facilities  for  study,  such  as  buildings,  library,  appa- 
ratus, teachers,  etc. 

"2.  That  in  the  surrounding  country  are  various  churches 
of  our  denomination,  to  which  the  institution  may  be  of  great 
use,  and  from  which  it  may  derive  support. 

"3.  That  the  location  is  easy  of  access  from  the  dififerent 
parts  of  the  country,  being  on  the  line  of  the  New  York  and 
Erie  Railroad. 

"4.  That  the  location  is  favorable  to  health,  and  one 
where  the  cost  of  living  will  be  comparatively  light. 

"5.  That  it  is  a  region  not  preoccupied  by  any  institu- 
tion of  the  kind  proposed,  though  as  capable  of  afifording  sup- 
port to  such  an  one  as  other  sections  of  the  country  where  simi- 
lar institutions  flourish. 

"6.  That,  being  a  retired  and  moral  district,  it  is  favora- 
ble both  to  study  and  morals. 

"We,  therefore,  report  in  favor  of  locating  the  proposed 
institution  at  Alfred  Center,  provided  that  the  Trustees  of  Al- 
fred Academy  will  donate  to  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Educa- 
tion Society  one  undivided  half  of  all  their  corporate  property, 
exclusive  of  all  liabilities,  and  provided,  also,  that  the  Western 
Association  shall  subscribe  towards  the  permanent  fund  of  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society  not  less  than  fifteen 
thousand  dollars.  "T.  B.  Stillman, 

"Geo.   Greenman, 
"Lucius  Crandall, 

"Committee." 


474  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

The  Board  adopted  the  report  and  the  matter  of  location 
was  settled. 

Though  no  college  charter  was  secured  and  no  college 
classes  organized,  yet  the  Board  this  year,  through  a  commit- 
tee composed  of  representative  men  of  the  denomination,  ap- 
pointed a  college  faculty  with  J.  Allen,  President,  and  W.  C. 
Kenyon  and  D.  D.  Pickett,  professors.  It  also  adopted  a  course 
of  study  both  for  the  academic  and  collegiate  departments.  At 
the  annual  meeting  J.  Allen  declined  to  accept  the  appointment 
to  the  Presidency.  W.  C.  Kenyon  was  later  appointed  to  the 
Presidency. 

It  was  not  until  the  first  annual  meeting  that  action  was 
taken  toward  chartering  a  college  and  theological  seminary. 
At  this  meeting  held  with  the  First  Hopkinton  church,  R.  I., 
September  lo,  1856,  a  board  of  twenty-four  trustees  were  ap- 
pointed to  whom  was  referred  all  the  matter  pertaining  to 
procuring  a  charter.  The  Board  appointed  was  composed  of 
the  following  named  persons :  N.  V.  Hull,  W.  C.  Kenyon, 
James  R.  Irish.  T.  B.  Brown,  George  B.  Utter,  William  B. 
Maxson,  T.  B.  Stillman,  Leman  Andrus,  Joel  Wakeman,  James 
Summerbell,  Benjamin  Maxson,  George  Maxson,  Alfred 
Lewis,  George  W.  Allen,  D.  D.  Pickett,  Hamilton  Clarke, 
Elisha  Potter,  E.  C.  Green,  J.  A.  Langworthy,  Perry  F.  Pot- 
ter, Ira  B.  Crandall,  Clarke  Rogers,  John  Hamilton,  Jona- 
than Allen. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  thus  appointed  at  a  meeting  held 
in  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  December  31,  1856,  requested  that  the  Execu- 
tive Board  of  the  Education  Society  increase  the  number  of 
trustees  to  thirty-three,  which  was  accordingly  done.  The 
Board  of  Trustees  agreed  upon  a  charter,  which  was  presented 
to  the  Executive  Board  at  its  meeting  held  in  Plainfield,  Janu- 
ary 8,  1857,  by  whom  it  was  approved  and  J.  Allen  was  ap- 
pointed to  proceed  to  Albany  and  procure  its  passage  by  the 
Legislature.  This  he  did  and  the  Governor's  signature  mak- 
ing it  law  was  secured  March  28,  1857. 

Section  4  of  the  charter  sets  forth  the  scope  of  the  insti' 
tution  thus  founded :  "Said  Trustees  shall  have  power  to  cre- 
ate a  primary  or  academic  department.  *  '^  *  They  shall 
organize  a  college  department.  '^  *  *  They  shall  have 
power  to  organize  a  department  of  theology  as  a  separate  de- 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  475 

partment.  *  *  *  *  They  shall  also  have  power  to  create 
such  other  departments,  in  said  university,  as  they  shall  from 
time  to  time  deem  expedient." 

The  relation  the  newly  founded  university  was  to  sus- 
tain to  the  Education  Society,  which  had  brought  it  into  exist- 
ence, seems  not  to  have  been  fully  thought  out  as  yet.  The 
subscribers  to  the  College  Permanent  Fund  were  now  incor- 
porated as  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society,  and 
these  same  men  (with  the  exception  of  those  whose  subscrip- 
tions were  less  than  $100.00),  by  virtue  of  these  same  sub- 
scriptions, were  chartered  under  the  name  Alfred  University. 
The  Executive  Board  in  its  annual  report  made  September  8, 
1857,  after  reporting  the  founding  of  Alfred  University,  stat- 
ed this  duplex  situation,  and  asked  whether  the  subscribers 
thus  organized  and  chartered  had  better  be  organized  under 
one  constitution  or  two,  acting  as  one  body  or  two.  The  so- 
ciety at  its  annual  session,  referred  this  matter  to  a  com- 
mittee appointed  for  this  purpose,  which  committee  reported 
that,  in  their  opinion,  the  society  had  only  advisory  power  and 
recommended  that  a  convention  of  the  corporators  of  Alfred 
University  be  called.  This  was  done  during  the  same  annual 
meeting,  but  the  convention  adjourned  sine  die  without  any- 
thing being  accomplished.  Before  the  close  of  this  annual 
session  the  society  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  the 
corporators  of  Alfred  University  regarding  it,  but  I  do  not 
find  that  the  committee  ever  reported  and  the  two  organizations 
have  continued  under  separate  constitutions. 

THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY   ESTABLISHED. 

A  denominational  university  was  now  founded  with  acad- 
emic and  collegiate  departments,  but  no  theological  seminary 
was  yet  organized,  though  this  was  the  chief  object  in  the 
founding  of  the  university.  The  university's  charter  had  au- 
thorized its  officers  to  establish  such  a  seminary,  but  the  work 
of  thus  doing  was  left  to  the  Education  Society. 

Upon  the  recommendation  of  the  society,  made  in  its  an- 
nual session  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  September,  1857,  the  Execu- 
tive Board  the  following  year  appointed  William  B.  Maxson 
professor  in  the  Department  of   Biblical    Exegesis   and  Eccle- 


476  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

siastical  History.  Elder  Maxson,  however,  never  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  the  professorship. 

At  its  annual  meeting  in  1858  the  society,  after  appointing 
Lucius  Crandall,  George  B.  Utter,  D.  E.  Maxson  and  J.  R. 
Irish  a  committee  to  have  charge  of  the  theological  seminary, 
instructed  them  as  follows : 

"Whereas,  The  subscriptions  were  primarily  taken  with 
reference  to  the  establishment  of  a  theological  department, 
therefore 

''Resolved,  That  we  instruct  our  committee  to  estabh'sh 
that  department  immediately." 

But  this  was  not  done  until  1862. 

In  1861  the  society  convened  in  its  annual  session,  passed 
a  resolution  recommending  "that  the  trustees  of  Alfred 
University  appoint  Brother  Jonathan  Allen  professor  of  the- 
ology in  that  institution,  as  an  initiatory  step  in  organizing  a 
theological  department,  and  to  make  such  arrangements  for 
giving  efficiency  to  the  department,  as  their  means  will  per- 
mit." • 

In  conformity  with  this  recommendation,  the  Trustees 
in  October  appointed  J.  Allen  to  the  professorship  of  theology 
and  report  that  "the  department  was  informally  organized" 
the  following  December.  They  also  report  that  J.  Allen  de- 
clined to  accept  unless  the  trustees  would  appoint  with  him  a 
professor  of  pastora]  theology,  and  that  they  did  not  feel  at 
liberty  to  make  the  additional  appointment  without  instruction 
from  the  Education  Society. 

The  ministers  in  attendance  at  the  anniversaries  held  at 
Little  Genesee,  in  1862,  were  made  a  "committee  to  take  into 
consideration  the  organization  of  a  theological  department  and 
to  nominate  a  professor  or  professors  therefor."  This  they 
did  before  the  close  of  the  session  by  reaffirming  the  appoint- 
ment of  J.  Allen  and  stating  that  in  their  opinion  it  was  de- 
sirable that  he  should  at  present  act  without  an  assistant. 

Though  instruction  in  theology  had  been  given  to  those 
desiring  it,  for  several  years,  even  before  the  chartering  of  the 
institution  as  a  university,  yet  the  establishment  of  tlie  semin- 
ary really  dates  from  the  appointment  of  J.  Allen  professor  of 
theology,  and  the  organizing  of  classes  the  following  school 
year,  1862-63. 


PROFESSOR  ALBKRT  R.  CRANDALL.    PH.  D. 
See   Biogniph'cal    Sketches,    p.  I36I. 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  477 

APPOINTMENT    OF    PROFESSORS. 

After  the  first  facvilty  of  the  university,  which  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  society,  the  society  does  not  appear  to  have 
taken  any  responsibility  in  the  election  of  persons  to  professor- 
ships in  the  college  departments  except  the  nomination  of  the 
university's  first  two  Presidents,  William  C.  Kenyon  and 
Jonathan  Allen.  The  university,  has,  however,  particularly 
during  its  early  history,  looked  to  the  Education  Society  to 
select  the  professors  in  the  theological  school  and  in  most  in- 
stances the  society  has  either  nominated  for  the  confirmation 
of  the  Trustees  of  the  university,  or  confirmed  their  election. 

SECURING    ENDOWMENTS. 

Though  the  work  of  raising  endowments  is  the  first,  most 
miportant,  and  arduous  task  in  founding  schools  of  higher 
learning,  yet  while  tracing  the  work  of  organization,  I  have 
left  this,  that  I  might  outline  it  more  definitely. 

The  year  before  the  organization  of  the  society  the  Edu- 
cation Committee  of  the  Conference  had  secured  about  $20,- 
000.00  subscriptions  on  the  strength  of  the  constitution  adopt- 
ed by  said  committee  for  a  proposed  education  society.  Immed- 
iately after  organization,  in  September,  1855,  the  Executive 
Board  appointed  W.  C.  Kenyon  agent,  and  J.  Allen  assistant 
agent.  It  also  adopted  the  scholarship  plan  for  securing  sub- 
scription to  the  endowment,  by  which  plan  the  subscriber  was 
to  receive  in  tuition  a  certain  per  cent,  of  subscription,  so 
long  as  he  had  a  scholar  or  scholars  in  school.  Many  of  these 
scholarships  are  still  in  force.  This  was  the  plan  at  that  time 
adopted  by  most  of  the  younger  institutions  and  was  proba- 
bly the  best  one  for  us  at  that  stage  of  our  development,  but  in 
after  years  it  proved  very  unsatisfactory,  working  a  great 
hardship  upon  the  university.  It  was  as  President  Allen  af- 
terwards characterized  it,  endowing  the  scholar  and  not  the 
university. 

The  agents  reported  at  the  first  meeting  that  they  had 
taken  subscriptions  amounting  to  $29.803.34 ;  old  subscrip- 
tions unarranged  or  untransferred.  $12,500.00.  This  is»  the 
endowment  upon  which  the  society  through  the  Trustees  ap- 
})ointed  for  that  purpose  secured  the  charter  of  Alfred  Uni- 
versity. 


478  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

The  rate  of  interest  on  unpaid  subscription  was  fixed  at 
six  per  cent. 

The  second  annual  report  of  the  Board  stated  that  W.  C. 
Kenyon  as  canvassing  agent  had  secured  $12,100.00,  while  J. 
Allen  had  spent  some  time  in  procuring  subscriptions,  but  does 
not  state  the  amount. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  one  of  the  conditions  upon 
which  Alfred  was  selected  as  a  location  for  a  denominational 
college  and  theological  seminary  was  that  "the  Trustees  of  Al- 
fred Academy  will  donate  to  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Educa- 
tion Society  one  undivided  half  of  all  their  corporate  property 
exclusive  of  all  liabilities."  Upon  the  request  of  the  Executive 
Board,  the  Trustees  of  the  academy  transferred  this  to  the 
Trustees  of  the  University,  instead  of  to  the  Education  So- 
ciety. 

After  these  earlier  efforts  at  securing  endowments,  the 
society  does  not  appear  to  have  increased  the  endowment  fund 
very  rapidly,  for  a  time,  for  in  1866  the  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary reported  that  under  the  plan  adopted  by  the  society,  be- 
tween forty  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  had  been  subscribed,  but 
that  owing  to  financial  and  national  difficulties  the  society 
would  realize  only  thirty  or  thirty-five  thousand  dollars. 

After  the  scourge  of  Civil  War  had  passed,  the  society 
commenced  again  to  push  the  work  of  endowment.  The 
Board  in  its  annual  report  in  1865,  plead  that  there  ought  to 
be  raised  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  our  schools,  that 
were  established  or  were  soon  to  be  established.  At  its  an- 
nual meeting  held  at  the  First  Alfred  church,  the  year  fol- 
lowing, the  society  passed  a  resolution  that  "we  ought  to  raise 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars,"  and  J.  Allen  offered  the  fol- 
lowing resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  we  here  and  now  take  subscription  to- 
wards endowment  of  our  institutions,  each  subscriber  specify- 
ing the  institution  to  which  he  wishes  his  subscription  appro- 
priated." 

Upon  the  passage  of  this  resolution  over  fourteen  thou- 
sand dollars  were  subscribed  at  this  session  for  our  schools,  as 
follows : 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  479 

For  Alfred  University $10,000  00 

For   DeRuyter    1,195  00 

For  Milton   1,350  00 

For   Albion    920  00 

For  Hopkinton    500  00 

For  Shiloh   125  00 

All  glory  to  what  had  been  done  before,  and  what  has 
been  done  since,  but  this  is  the  largest  sum  ever  raised  at  any 
session  of  the  society  or  by  any  society  at  any  Conference. 
Though  this  was  secured  by  the  Education  Society,  yet  the 
subscriptions  seem  to  have  been  made  direct  to  the  various 
schools  for  which  they  were  made. 

At  the  next  annual  meeting  the  society  took  an  action 
which  largely  relieved  the  Board  of  the  work  of  raising  funds 
for  the  schools.  The  vote  was  "that  it  is  the  sense  Of  this  so- 
ciety that  the  officers  of  each  institution  shall  solicit  funds  for 
their  school  independently  of  the  Education  Society."  After 
this  vote  we  hear  nothing  more  regarding  the  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars'  endowment  fund  for  our  school's. 

When  in  1872  our  people  proposed  to  raise  a  bi-centennial 
memorial  fund,  the  Executive  Board  of  the  Education  Society, 
upon  the  recommen'clation  of  the  five  Associations,  appointed 
a  committee  to  solicit  subscriptions  to  the  proposed  fund.  The 
committee  appointed  were :  J.  Allen,  W.  C.  Whitford  and 
T.  R.  Williams,  general  agents,  with  George  Greenman,  J.  B. 
Clarke,  A.  R.  Cornwall  and  Preston  F.  Randolph  as  associate 
agents.  This  committee  in  a  few  weeks  before  Conference,  at 
which  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  memorial  fund  was  ap- 
pointed, secured  over  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  This  was 
the  nucleus  of  the  Memorial  Fund.  It  was  designed  particu- 
larly to  be  an  "educational  fund"  and  when  the  matter  was 
taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Education  Society,  who  had  se- 
cured the  subscriptions  and  entrusted  to  a  Board  organized 
for  that  express  purpose,  the  Executive  lioard  seems  to  have 
felt  that  there  was  but  little  left  for  the  society  to  do.  This  is 
seen  from  this  (|Uotation,  which  occurs  in  the  opening  of  four 
successive  annual  rejxirts :  "As  all  matters  pertaining  to  the 
increase  of  the  funds  and  the  efficiency  of  our  educational  in- 
terest have  been  passed  over  b\-  the  denomination  to  the  Mem- 


480  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

orial  Board,  there  remains  but  little  for  this  Board  besides  the 
conservation  of  the  interests  specifically  confided  to  it." 

Notwithstanding  this  action  on  the  part  of  the  denomina- 
tion and  the  fact  that  the  society  at  its  annual  meeting  in  1867 
had  voted  that  the  officers  of  our  institutions  of  learning  should 
solicit  funds  independent  of  the  society,  yet  it  has  always  been 
looked  to  as  the  financial  sponsor  of  theological  education 
among  us.  The  society  had  at  its  annual  meeting  in  i86g 
adopted  a  report  of  a  committee  which  recommended  the  set- 
ting aside  of  one-half  of  its  funds  for  the  support  of  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  The  part  of  the  report  referred  to  reads 
as  follows : 

"2.  Whereas,  A  considerable  part  of  the  endowment 
fund  of  said  university  (Alfred)  was  subscribed  for  the  sup- 
piort  of  that  department  (Theological),  your  committee  would 
further  recommend  that  one-half  the  present  fund  be  set  apart 
for  the  support  of  that  department,  and  that  steps  be  at  once 
taken  to  enlarge  said  fund  for  its  support." 

In  1871,  in  annual  se'ssion  assembled,  there  was  a  call 
made  for  annual  contributions  to  support  for  three  years  a 
professorship  in  the  Theological  department  of  Alfred  Univer- 
sity ;  $505.00  were  subscribed  then,  and  T.  R.  Williams  was 
appointed  a  committee  to  fill  up  the  subscriptions  to  the  amount 
of  one  thousand  dollars. 

A  similar  plan  was  inaugurated  at  the  annual  session  held 
at  Nortonville,  Kansas,  in  1892,  when  $1,500.00  per  annum 
was  subscribed  for  six  years. 

In  its  annual  report  to  the  society  in  1900  the  University 
set  forth  the  immediate  needs  of  the  theological  school.  The 
society  recommended  that  the  Board  attempt  to  raise  the  addi- 
tional sum  annually  required  to  equip  the  school  by  the  pledge- 
card  system.  This  the  Board  undertook,  first  by  appealing  to 
the  pastors  and  churches  through  the  mail,  and  later  by  em- 
ploying L.  C.  Randolph  and  an  evangelistic  quartette  as  can- 
vassing agents.  By  these  means  there  was  secured  in  pledges 
and  otherwise,  the  additional  sum  needed  for  one  year  besides 
a  donation  to  the  permanent  fund  from  J.  Frank  Hubbard  of 
$675.00  and  membership  fees  from  various  persons  amount- 
ing to  $130. 

Through  the  efforts  of  C.  C.  Chipman,  assisted  by  O.  S. 
(30) 


EDUCATION    SOCIETY.  481 

Rogers  and  David  E.  Titsworth  at  the  Conference  held  at  Al- 
fred August,  1901,  $10,725.00  more  was  added  to  the  endow- 
ment o-f  the  Theological  School. 

The  society,  notwithstanding  the  vote  that  our  institu- 
tions of  learning  solicit  funds  independently  of  the  society,  has, 
from  time  to  time,  at  its  annual  meetings,  heen  the  vehicle 
through  which  calls  have  been  made  for  funds  and  subscrip- 
tion secured  for  many  of  the  schools  of  collegiate  and  acade- 
mic standing  which  have  sprung  up  in  the  denomination. 
Among  them  have  been  Albion,  Union  Academy,  Hopkinton, 
DeRuyter,  Milton,  Alfred  and  Salem,  though  the  most  of  the 
funds  thus  raised,  like  the  larger  part  the  society  has  secured 
during  its  history,  has  been  intrusted  to  other  organizations 
lo  manage. 

OTHER    WORK. 

An  important  part  of  the  Education  Society's  work  has 
been  the  creation  of  public  sentiment  favorable  to  a  high 
educational  standard  among  Seventh-day  Baptists.  From 
the  very  first,  addresses  on  educational  subjects  have  been 
delivered  at  its  annual  sessions.  It  would  be  impossible 
to  estimate  the  influence  these  have  had  in  shaping  our  educa- 
tional interests,  and  in  giving  to  all  our  work  the  stamp  of 
genuine  intelligence. 

The  society  has  been  the  vehicle  through  which  all  our 
schools  have  presented  their  work  to  the  people,  and  pressed 
their  claims  for  patronage  and  financial  support. 

It  has,  from  time  to  time,  agitated  such  questions  as  the 
establishment  of  a  paper  devoted  to  educational  interests,  thus 
providing  help  for  indigent  young  men  preparing  for  the  min- 
istry and  the  establishment  of  normal  classes  in  our  colleges 
and  seminary  for  Sabbath  school  teachers.  But  its  greatest 
labors  have  been  the  procuring  of  a  charter  for,  and  partially 
endowing  our  first  denominational  college,  the  establishment 
and  endowment  of  a  Theological  Seminary,  the  furnishing  of 
a  common  means  by  which  all  our  academies  and  colleges 
could  put  themselves  and  interests  before  the  people,  and  the 
creation  of  public  sentiment  in  the  denomination  wliich  has,  to- 
gether with  the  schools,  made  Seventh-day  Baptists  an  educa- 
tional people. 


482  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

LIST  OF  SCHOOLS  WHICH  HAVE  REPORTED  TO  THE  SOCIETY  A  PART 
OR   ALL   THE   TIME    SINCE    ITS    ORGANIZATION. 

Alfred  University,  Alfred,  N.  Y. 
Milton  College,  Milton,  Wis. 
Hopkinton  Academy,  Hopkinton,  R.  I. 
Union  Academy,  Shiloh,  N.  J. 
DeRuyter   Institute,   DeRuyter,   N.   Y. 
Albion  Academy,  Albion,  Wis. 
Salem  College.  Salem,  W.  Va. 

LIST   OF   PRESIDENTS.    SECRETARIES   AND   TREASURERS. 

Presidents. 
•  Thomas  B.  Stillman,  1855-56. 
N.  V.  Hull,  1857-76. 
E.  P.  Larkin,  1877-1886. 
L.  E.  Livermore,   1887. 
L.  A.  Platts,  1888- 1 894. 
E.  M.  Tomlinson,  1895  to  date. 

Corresponding  Secretaries. 
J.  Allen.   1855-71:   1874-79. 
T.  R.  Williams,  1872-73. 

D.  E.  Maxson,  1880-86. 
W.  C.  Whitford,  1887-94. 
George  B.  Shaw,  1895-96. 
William  L.  Burdick,  1897  to  date. 

Recording  Secretaries. 
W.  C.  Whitford,  1855. 

E.  P.  Larkin.  1856. 

D.  E.  Maxson,  1857-63. 

T.  R.  Williams,  1864-69. 

O.  D.  Sherman,  1870-73. 

Silas  C.  Burdick,  1874-76;  1879-80. 

L.  R.  Swinney,  1877. 

Mark  Sheppard,  1878. 

Amos  C.  Lewis.  1881-85. 

L.  E.  Livermore,  1886. 

W.  C.  Tits  worth,   1887-88. 

D.  L  Green,  1889. 

E.  H.  Lewis,  1890. 

T.  M.  Davis,  1891  to  date. 


EDUCATION   SOCIETY.  ^g^ 

Treasurers. 
Clark  Rogers  (Plainfield,  N.  J.),  1855-60. 
Elisfia  Potter,  1861-77. 
A.  E,  Crandall,  1878-80. 
William  C.  Burdick,  1881-87. 
A.  B.  Kenyon,  1888  to  date. 


DENOMINATIONAL 
SCHOOLS. 


REV.  JAMES  LEE  GAMBLE,   PH.D.,   D.  D. 
See   Biographical    Sketches,    p.  1361. 


ALFRED     UNIVERSITY, 

December  5,  1836,  to  June  30,  1903. 


Rev.  James  Lee  Gamble,   Ph.  D.,  D.  D. 


(l)       ITS  FOUNDERS  AND  PRESIDENTS. 

Alfred  was  settled  in  1807  by  New  England  people,  frugal, 
thrifty,  and  intellectual ;  they  were  of  sterling  Seventh-day 
Baptist  stock,  and  had  high  regard  for  educational  attainment. 
A  church  was  formed  in  181 3,  and  duly  constituted  in  1816. 
In  New  England  the  church  and  the  school  house  stood  side 
by  side;  what  wonder  then  if  these  worthy  scions  of  such  herit- 
age should  delay  not  to  found  the  school ! 

A  recent  waiter  said:  "The  evolution  of  Alfred  Univer- 
sity is  one  of  the  marvels  of  growth  from  the  smallest  germ." 
(Rev.  W.  F.  Place.)  It  is  ever  true  that  the  largest  rivers  have 
their  beginnings  in  little  rivulets  ;  and  if  we  would  go  back  to 
the  ultimate  source  of  Alfred  University,  it  may  be  found  in 
the  spirit  that  was  first  manifested  in  the  organization  of  a 
singing  school  by  Maxson  Stillman  in  1834-35.  This  has  been 
characterized  as  "one  of  tlie  first  efforts  in  the  direction  of  a 
better  training"  of  the  children  than  was  afforded  by  the  com- 
mon schools  of  that  day.  And  it  is  worthy  of  note  that  Mr. 
Stillman  took  an  active  part  in  preparing  for  the  select  school 
that  followed  a  little  later;  and,  from  the  beginning,  was  an 


488  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

efficient  trustee  and  promoter  of  Academy  and  University  until 
laid  aside  by  extreme  old  age  in  1893.  He  died  in  1896,  in  his 
98th  year. 

In  1835,  Amos  W.  Coon,  then  about  eighteen  years  old 
and  one  of  Alfred's  most  stirring  young  men,  made  a  visit  to 
the  central  part  of  the  State,  where  he  formed  the  acquaintance 
of  Bethuel  C.  Church,  who  was  then  in  school  at  DeRuyter 
Institute.  Mr.  Church  being  much  interested  in  the  higher 
education  of  young  people,  was  invited  to  attend  the  Confer- 
ence which  was  to  be  held  in  Alfred  the  next  year.  He  did 
so,  and  an  arrangement  was  made  with  him  to  return  and  open 
a  select  school  in  the  fall,  if  twenty  students  could  be  secured 
at  three  dollars  each.  Coming  back  at  the  appointed  time,  and 
finding  but  nineteen  (some  say  sixteen)  names,  he  went  from 
house  to  house,  and  from  farm  to  farm,  also  visiting  neighbor- 
ing churches  in  Independence,  Friendship,  Genesee,  etc.,  until 
thirty-seven  pupils  were  obtained. 

Alfred  then  contained  but  eight  or  ten  small  houses.  Mr. 
Orson  Sheldon,  the  only  merchant,  had  the  largest  house  and 
freely  offered  an  upper  room  for  the  select  school.  As  it  was 
not  lathed  and  plastered,  this  was  done  by  Amos  W.  Coon, 
Maxson  Stillman,  and  Phineas  and  Silas  Stillman ;  and  in  three 
weeks  it  was  ready  for  use.  A  small  blackboard  was  made 
and  placed  upon  the  wall,  which  was  quite  an  innovation  in 
those  days ;  and  each  pupil  brought  his  own  chair,  and  held 
slate  and  books  on  his  lap  until  rough  boards  could  be  put  up 
for  desks.  This  house  stood  just  below  the  present  post- 
office,  and  was  afterward  owned  and  occupied  by  Luke  Green, 

Mr.  Church  is  described  by  David  R.  Stillman  as  a  little 
under  medium  height,  well-proportioned,  and  of  a  pleasant 
appearance  generally.  He  had  a  good  voice  and  was  a  fane 
reader.  He  was  a  successful  teacher,  and  after  fulfilling  his 
engagement  in  Alfred,  he  passed  on  to  other  fields  of  labor. 
In  1844  he  taught  in  Milton,  Wis.,  and  laid  the  foundation  of 
Milton  College.  After  this  he  accepted  the  pastorate  of  a  Sun- 
day church,  and  we  cannot  further  trace  his  history. 

He  opened  his  school  in  Alfred  on  the  5th  of  December, 
1836.  Mrs.  Allen,  in  her  "Life  of  President  Allen,"  says: 
"Mr.  Church  was  the  right  man  for  such  an  enterprise — initia- 
tive, positive,  enthusiastic,  and  having  great  faith  in  himself 


REV.  JAMICS   K.    IRISH,    I).    I). 
See     Biogiafhiial   Sketches,   p.   1361. 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  489 

and  in  his  pupils  He.  preached  at  the  church,  as  well  as  taught 
the  school,  during  the  winter ;  and  his  constant  theme  was  edu- 
cation. His  private  talks  to  both  old  and  young  were  of  the 
needs  in  this  community  for  a  high  school  or  academy.  Charles 
Hartshorn,  a  brother  of  Airs.  Sheldon,  in  whose  house  the 
school  was  held,  was  just  from  the  East  and  taught  the  district 
school  a  mile  away.  These  two  men  most  earnestly  sympa- 
thized in  all  intellectual  W'Ork."  The  influence  of  the  labors  of 
these  two  men  that  winter  was  very  marked  upon  communities 
and  school  districts  for  many  miles  around. 

When  the  first  school  building  (known  among  the  students 
as  the  "Horned  Bug"),  was  completed  in  the  fall  of  1837, 
David  Stillman  went  to  Schenectady  and  in  behalf  of  the  trus- 
tees engaged  James  R.  Irish,  then  a  student  in  Union  College, 
to  take  charge  of  the  Alfred  school  in  the  new  building  at 
''twenty-five  dollars  per  month  and  board  at  one  place."  Mr. 
Irish  was  a  most  successful  teacher,  acceptably  filling  this  posi- 
tion, as  well  as  preaching  in  the  church  regularly,  for  two  years. 
President  Allen  spoke  of  him  as  "a  man  full  of  the  goodness 
which  descends  from  on  high." 

During  the  winter  and  spring  of  1839,  a  deep  religious  in- 
terest resulted  in  the  baptism  of  over  two  hundred  persons ; 
and  an  earnest  call  was  given  Mr.  Irish  to  become  the  pastor 
of  the  church.  This  he  was  constrained  to  accept,  and  there- 
fore tendered  his  resignation  as  principal  of  the  school,  which 
by  this  time  was  beginning  to  be  called  an  academy.  He  was 
ordained  April  3,  1839.  (Mr.  Irish  gives  an  interesting  ac- 
count of  his  work  here  in  the  school,  in  The  Sabbath  Recorder 
of  July  28,  1 88 1.) 

On  the  resignation  of  Rev.  Mr.  Irish,  William  C.  Ken- 
yon,  a  student  in  Union  College,  took  charge  of  the  school  in 
the  spring  term  of  1839.  with  twenty-five  scholars.  Mr.  Irish 
had  written  to  him  with  reference  to  this  work,  and  the  final 
arrangements  were  made  by  George  S.  Coon  (father  of  Amos 
W.  Coon),  who  visited  him  at  Schenectady  for  that  purpose. 
When  the  school  was  incorporated  as  an  academy  in  1843  ^^^ 
was  its  principal,  and  when  the  university  was  chartered  in 
1857,  he  was  unanimously  chosen  as  its  first  President. 

President  Kenyon's  life  and  character  it  is  difficult  to  esti- 
mate, even  at  this  day.     Physically  he  was  slender,  but  intel- 


490  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

Icctually  he  was  a  giant.  Poets  and  teachers  are  born,  not 
made ;  he  was  a  born  teacher,  and  his  devotion  to  the  school  in 
Alfred  was  that  of  a  father  to  an  only  child.  He  went  about 
the  county  lecturing  on  the  subject  of  education,  and  students, 
inspired  by  his  thrilling  addresses,  came  in  from  every  direc- 
tion. He  chose  a  corps  of  workers  of  like  spirit  with  himself ; 
and,  with  their  co-operation,  the  school  grew  mightily  and  be- 
came a  great  power  for  good  to  all  the  land.  It  is  written 
tiiat,  "for  high  standing  in  intellectual  and  moral  reforms,  Al- 
legheny County  and  ail  Southwestern  New  York  owe  more 
to  William  C.  Kenyon  and  his  co-workers  than  to  all  other  in- 
fluences combined." 

It  is  ever  true,  that  he  who  would  save  others  cannot  save 
himself.  Through  unremitting  toil,  night  and  day,  for  his  be- 
loved university,  his  health  was  undermined  ;  and  after  months 
of  health-seeking,  first  in  Missouri  and  then  in  Europe,  his  life 
closed  in  London,  June  7,  1867,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years.  His 
lemains  were  brought  back  to  the  home  land  he  loved  so  well, 
and  laid  by  the  side  of  his  first  wife  in  the  Vale  Cemetery  at 
Schenectady. 

For  his  second  wife  he  had  married  Mrs.  Ida  F.  Sallan 
Long,  who  lovingly  cared  for  him  through  his  later  years,  and 
faithfully  carried  out  his  last  requests.  Mrs.  Kenyon  returned 
to  Alfred  and  became  professor  of  modern  languages,  which 
position  she  filled  successfully  until  the  end  of  the  school  year 
of  1894.  At  this  writing  she  still  lives,  has  her  home  in 
Ladies'  Boarding  Hall,  maintains  an  vmfailingdove  for  the 
University  her  honored  husband  did  so  much  to  establish,  and 
is  beloved  by  all  who  have  the  privilege  of  knowing  her. 

Upon  the  death  of  President  Kenyon,  all  eyes  were  turned 
toward  Jonathan  Allen  as  his  successor ;  and  as  such  he  was 
at  once  chosen  by  the  trustees,  although  he  shrank  from  assum- 
ing the  great  responsibility.  But  for  this  position  he  was  emi- 
nently qualified  by  nature,  by  training,  and  by  a  variety  of  cir- 
cumstances. He  had  been  a  member  of  the  first  select  school 
taught  by  B.  C.  Church,  and  had  paid  his  tuition  in  the  same 
by  chopping  six  cords  of  four-foot  wood ;  and  from  this  time 
he  was  ever  the  warm,  sympathizing  friend  of  all  poor  students 
who  longed  for  an  education.  From  the  first  he  had  been 
closely  associated  with  President  Kenyon  as  pupil  and  as  fel- 


REV.   WILLIAM    COLLGROVL   KKNYON. 
See    l-i'ingraphual    Sketches,   p.    136l> 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  49I 

low-teacher,  entering  heartily  into  all  his  plans  and  sharing  his 
high  ambition  "to  found  a  seminary  of  unsurpassed  excell- 
ence." 

Like  his  predecessor  he  was  a  "born  teacher,"  possessing 
rare  gifts  of  his  own  in  this  direction.  He  brought  to  his  po- 
sition superior  administrative  ability  which  might  have  found 
its  field  in  the  Governorship  of  his  State.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  class  of  academic  graduates  in  1844;  and  subsequently 
took  a  course  of  study  in  Oberlin  College,  graduating  there  in 

1849. 

For  twenty-five  years  he  filled  and  adorned  the  office  of 
President,  and  every  department  of  the  university  prospered 
under  liis  wise  an^l  efficient  administration.  Thousands  all 
ever  the  land  bless  God  for  having  come  under  his  instruction 
and  influence.  He  closed  up  the  school  year  ending  in  June, 
1892,  and  on  the  21st  of  September,  just  after  the  opening  of 
the  new  school  year,  he  closed  his  earthly  work  in  his  seventieth 
year. 

While  the  choice  of  President  Allen's  successor  was  under 
consideration.  Professor  A.  B.  Kenyon  ably  filled  the  position 
of  Acting  President  until  the  trustees  elected  the  Rev.  Arthur 
E.  Alain,  of  Ashaway,  R.  I.,  to  the  vacant  Presidency.  Dr. 
Main  accepted  the  call  and  entered  upon  his  duties  with  the 
spring  term  of  1893.  He,  however,  held  the  position  but  two 
and  a  quarter  years,  and  closed  his  labors  with  the  school  year 
ending  June  20,  1895,  returning  to  the  pastorate.  Since  that 
time  Dr.  Main  has  filled  a  very  successful  pastorate  of  five  years 
with  the  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  which 
position  he  resigned  in  1901  to  become  Dean  of  the  Alfred 
Theological  Seminary,  where  he  is  giving  eminent  satisfaction 
to  all  the  friends  of  the  institution. 

Upon  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Main,  the  Trustees  chose  as 
his  successor  Rev.  B.  C.  Davis,  pastor  of  the  First  Alfred 
Church.  President  Davis  was  at  this  time  in  his  thirty-second 
year,  born  near  Jane  Lew,  W.  Va.,  the  son  of  honored  parents 
— the  Rev.  Samuel  D.  and  Elizabeth  R.  Davis.  He  had  well  im- 
proved his  district  school  opportunities,  spent  one  year  in  the 
r'airmount  (W.  \'a.)  State  Normal  School,  and  taught  four 
}ears  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State.  He  entered 
Alfred  University  in  September,  1885,  and  graduated  in  the 


492  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

classical  course  in  1890.  In  the  autumn  of  1890  he  became  a 
student  in  Yale  Divinity  School,  completed  the  theological 
course,  and  graduated  May  17,  1893.  In  June,  1892,  he  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Alfred  Church,  to 
take  effect  September  i,  1892,  with  leave  of  absence  to  com- 
plete his  course  in  theology.  He  resigned  the  pastorate  to 
begin  his  work  at  the  head  of  the  University,  September  10, 
1895. 

For  the  past  eight  years  he  has  fully  met  the  largest  ex- 
pectations of  the  patrons  and  friends  of  the  University ;  the 
number  of  students  has  been  constantly  increasing,  the  endow- 
ments have  been  augmented,  the  officers  and  teachers  of  every 
department  of  the  school  heartily  co-operate  with  him,  and  the 
standing  of  the  institution  among  the  colleges  of  the  State,  al- 
ways high,  was  never  higher  than  now.  New  buildings  and 
equipments  have  been  added,  and  the  work  of  the  University  in 
all  departments  is  maintained  at  a  high  standard. 

(2)       STEPS    IN    ORGANIZATION. 

As  already  stated,  the  first  select  school  in  Alfred  began 
work  December  5,  1836.  During  the  principalship  of  James 
R.  Irish,  the  school  began  to  be  called  "The  Academy ;"  but  the 
formal  act  of  incorporation  under  the  title  of  "Alfred  Acade- 
my and  Teachers'  Seminary,"  did  not  occur  until  January  31, 
1843.  It  appears  that  no  class  was  formally  graduated  until 
1847;  but  the  classes  of  1844,  '45,  and  '46  are  given  in  the 
General  Catalogue  of  1876,  and  many  of  them  (if  not  all)  wxre 
granted  degrees. 

As  early  as  1852,  many  began  to  feel  that  steps  should  be 
taken  to  assume  the  powers  and  responsibilities  of  a  college,  in 
order  to  fill  the  place  which  the  institution  was  taking  in  the 
educational  world.  This  feeling  continued  to  grow ;  and  also 
about  the  same  time  there  was  a  conviction  of  the  need,  on  the 
part  of  the  denomination  under  whose  management  chiefly  the 
school  had  been  conducted,  of  a  seminary  for  the  preparation 
of  preachers  of  the  Gospel. 

Alfred  being  chosen  for  the  location  of  such  a  seminary, 
application  was  made  to  the  Legislature  of  New  York  for  col- 
lege and  seminary  charter.  Professor  Allen  spent  the  winter 
of  1856-57  in  Albany  seeking  to  secure  such  charter.     He  was 


ALFRED  ACADEMY 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  493 

most  earnestly  aided  by  Hon.  John  N.  Davidson,  of  Wiscoy ; 
W.  W.  Crandall,  M.  D.,  of  Andover,  and  Hon.  S.  O.  Thacher, 
of  Hornellsville,  who  were  Alfred  students,  and  members  of 
the  Legislature. 

By  the  advice  of  the  State  officials  a  university  charter  was 
drawn  up,  which  passed  the  Legislature  by  an  "overwhelming 
majority,"  and  was  signed  by  Governor  King  March  28,  1857; 
the  organization  of  the  University,  under  the  provisions  of  this 
act,  was  completed  April  15,  1857,  by  the  election  of  the  re- 
quired Board  of  Trustees. 

The  college  thus  organized  has  been  strengthened  and  en- 
larged in  its  scope  from  time  to  time  until  it  has  gained  its  pres- 
ent high  order  of  efficiency,  and  its  wide  and  favorable  recog- 
nition throughout  the  country. 

In  1897  a  separation  was  made  between  the  college  and  the 
academy,  each  being  now  conducted  by  its  own  distinct  faculty ; 
but  the  faculties  and  students  of  both  college  and  academy  form 
one  community,  having  common  aims  and  interests.  Alfred 
Academy,  with  its  separate  quarters,  chapel,  etc.,  is  now  a  local 
high  school,  a  training  school  for  teachers,  and  a  college  pre- 
paratory school,  sending  every  year  many  of  its  graduates  to 
the  college  halls. 

(3)       BUILDINGS. 

After  the  close  of  the  first  select  school  in  the  upper  room 
of  Orson  Sheldon's  house,  the  interest  which  had  been  awak- 
ened by  B.  C.  Church  and  Charles  Hartshorn  led  to  the  calling 
of  a  meeting  to  consider  the  matter  of  erecting  a  school  build- 
ing. The  "call"  was  written  by  John  Stillman,  headed  by 
Maxson  Stillman,  and  passed  around  for  signers.  The  meet- 
ing took  place ;  David  Stillman  was  made  chairman,  Luke 
Green  treasurer,  and  Maxson  Stillman  managing  agent.  It 
was  decided  to  build,  and  to  raise  the  money  by  selling  stock 
at  five  dollars  per  share ;  the  amount  thus  raised  was  $525.65, 
fifty-six  names  appearing  upon  the  subscription  paper. 

Maxson  Stillman  drafted  the  plan  for  a  one-story  building 
28  by  38  feet  on  the  ground,  with  an  elevation  of  ten  feet  to  the 
top  of  the  plates.  The  room  was  arched,  giving  a  fair  central 
height.  The  cost  when  completed  was  $550.00;  but  for  the 
payment  of  indebtedness,  furnishings  and  apparatus,  the  stock 
was  increased  to  $720.17.     This  building  was  known  among 


494  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

the  students  as  the  "Horned  Bug;"  but  by  Professor  W.  C. 
Kenvon  and  citizens  was  called  "The  Cadmus."     This  was  in 

For  the  first  two  years  of  Professor  Kenyon's  work,  the 
school  occupied  the  building  thus  erected  by  the  citizens  of  Al- 
fred ;  but  this  became  too  small  for  the  constantly  increasing 
number  of  students,  and  in  the  summer  of  1841,  it  was  en- 
larged by  a  two-story  addition  of  30  by  42  feet,  at  a  cost  of 
about  $2,500.00.  The  first  story  was  used  for  the  chapel,  and 
the  second  was  finished  ofif  into  rooms  for  students.  When 
grounds  for  a  campus  were  secured  on  the  western  slope  of 
Pine  Hill  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  village,  this  building 
in  the  central  part  of  the  village,  was  for  a  while  called  "West 
Hall"  and -used  as  a  dormitory ;  but  was  afterward  sold  and  re- 
modeled into  a  dwelling,  and  is  still  in  use  for  that  purpose. 

On  the  grounds  just  referred  to,  during  the  summer  of 
1845,  three  new  buildings  were  begun  and  were  finished  the 
following  year,  costing  $16,000.00.  One  was  a  gentlemen's 
dormitory  called  North  Hall,  in  charge  of  Professor  and  Mrs. 
Pickett ;  it  was  thirty-five  by  fifty  feet,  three  stories  above  the 
basement,  and  located  about  where  the  Steinheim  now  stands. 
In  1868  this  building  was  sold  to  the  village  authorities,  moved 
down  the  hill  and  put  in  condition  for  the  public  school ;  it  was 
subsequently  purchased  by  a  private  individual  who  fitted  it  up 
for  a  hotel ;  later  still,  it  was  transformed  into  a  dormitory,  re- 
stored to  the  University,  and  is  now  known  as  Burdick  Hall. 

A  similar  building,  called  South  Hall,  in  charge  of  Pro- 
fessor and  Mrs.  Allen  for  a  time,  was  erected  as  a  dormitory 
for  the  ladies ;  the  upper  story  of  this  was  used  for  chapel  and 
recitation  rooms,  which  were  reached  by  outside  stairs.  When 
the  new  building  for  chapel  was  completed  in  1852,  the  upper 
part  of  South  Hall  was  used  for  music  rooms  and  the  Ladies' 
Literary  Society.  South  Hall  was  burned  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing, February  14,  1858,  and  on  its  site  now  stands  the  astro- 
nomical observatory. 

The  third  building  was  known  as  Middle  Hall,  the  base- 
ment of  which  was  used  as  the  general  boarding  hall  for 
students ;  while  the  upper  part  became  the  home  of  Professors 
Kenyon  and  Sayles.  After  awhile  Professor  Allen  and  Pro- 
fessor William-  A.  Rogers  purchased  this  propert}^,  and  later 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  495 

Still  Professor  Allen  came  into  sole  possession  of  it.  Here 
President  Allen  died,  and  here  Mrs.  Allen  lived  until  the  close 
of  her  noble  and  unselfish  life,  October  26,  1902. 

The  fourth  building  erected  on  the  campus  is  known  as 
"The  Chapel ;"  it  is  52  by  105  feet,  its  architect  and  builder 
was  Maxson  Stillman,  and  its  cost  about  $12,000.00.  The  Sab- 
bath Recorder  for  July  15.  1852,  speaks  of  "the  new,  large,  and 
well-arranged  chapel"  as  being  first  used  that  year  for  the 
academy  anniversary  exercises.  For  many  years  this  building 
served  as  college  chapel,  college  office,  recitation  rooms  and 
young  men's  lyceum  rooms ;  but  on  the  separation  of  academy 
and  college  in  1897,  it  was  set  apart  for  the  use  of  Alfred 
Academy,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  lyceum  rooms. 

After  the  burning  of  South  Hall  in  1858,  although  there 
was  no  insurance  on  it,  preparations  were  at  once  made  for  a 
new  building  for  similar  purposes;  and  in  1859  the  Ladies' 
Boarding  Hall,  sometimes  called  "The  Brick,"  was  ready  for 
use.  This  also  was  planned  by  Maxson  Stillman.  and  is  a  fine, 
large  brick  structure,  costing  about  $20,000.00,  and  capable  of 
accommodating  about  one  hundred  lady  students,  besides  con- 
taining rooms  for  members  of  the  faculty,  the  assembly  rooms 
of  the  ladies'  two  lyceums,  the  women's  gymnasium,  and  the 
university  boarding  department.  This  building  was  much  im- 
proved in  1898-99  by  a  spacious  porch  at  the  front  entrance, 
which  adds  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  edifice  and  to  the  com- 
fort of  its  occupants. 

The  Astronomical  Observatory,  coming  next,  was  erected 
through  the  efiforts  of  Prof.  Wm.  A.  Rogers.  Professor  Rogers 
held  the  Chair  of  Mathematics  and  Astronomy  in  Alfred  Uni- 
versity from  1857  to  1868,  with  the  exception  of  his  service  in 
the  United  States  Navy  from  the  spring  of  1864  to  the  autumn 
of  1865.  Previous  to  his  war  service  he  had  done  something 
toward  establishing  the  observatory  in  1863,  but  it  was  not 
fully  completed  and  equipped  with  clock  and  chronograph,  in 
addition  to  the  telescope  a<d  other  furnishings,  until  the  winter 
of  1865-66,  after  his  return  from  the  navy.  Since  his  death  in 
1898  it  has  been  designated  as  "The  Rogers  Observatory,"  in 
his  memory. 

A  building  known  as  "The  Gymnasium,"  was  erected  in 
the  winter  of  1874-5  by  the  students  at  a  cost  of  something  over 


496  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS  : 

$600.00.  This  came  into  disuse  many  years  ago,  and  was  re- 
moved from  the  ground  now  occupied  by  Babcock  Hall  of 
Physics.     It  is  now  used  as  a  barn. 

Next  in  order  of  time  comes  "The  Steinheim."  This 
stands  as  a  monument  to  President  Allen,  and  in  it  repose  his 
ashes  and  those  of  his  faithful  companion.  Built  in  1879, 
this  beautiful  structure,  with  its  contents,  was  given  to 
the  University  by  President  and  Mrs.  Allen ;  and,  in  addition 
to  its  many  collections,  it  contains  the  laboratory,  lecture 
loom,  and  cabinets  of  the  Department  of  Geology  and  Biology, 
now  in  charge  of  the  eminent  geologist,  Professor  Albert  R.. 
Crandall,  Ph.  D.  In  its  collections  are  many  thousands  of  rare 
specimens  in  the  departments  of  archeology,  paleontology, 
mineralogy,  conchology,  etc.,  etc. 

As  early  as  1868  President  Allen  suggested  the  erectiqn 
of  a  building  in  honor  and  memory  of  President  William  C. 
Kenyon,  and  in  1872  over  $2,000.00  had  been  raised  for  this 
purpose.  In  1876,  at  the  request  of  President  Allen,  the  Board 
of  Trustees  employed  Professor  Ethan  P.  Larkin  to  solicit 
subscriptions  for  such  a  building ;  and  through  his  earnest  ef- 
forts, the  object  was  at  length  accomplished  at  a  cost  of 
$28,000.00. 

The  ground  appears  to  have  been  first  broken  in  October, 
1875 ;  and  the  work  of  laying  the  foundation  was  begun  Sep- 
tember 13,  1876.  Although  not  entirely  finished  in  1882,  it 
was  determined  to  go  forward  with  the  dedication^wbich 
took  place  on  Wednesday,  October  25th  of  that  year. 
This  hall  is  a  modern  brick  and  stone  structure  containing 
the  college  assembly  room,  the  university  library,  the  offices 
of  the  President  and  the  Registrar,  and  lecture  rooms  of  the 
departments  of  Philosophy,  History,  Latin,  Greek,  English  and 
modern  languages.  The  library  contains  over  15,000  volumes 
and  7,000  pamphlets ;  and  the  reading  room  is  well  supplied 
with  all  leading  newspapers  and  periodicals. 

Professor  Ira  Sayles  was  connected  with  the  school  as 
teacher  from  1845  to  1862;  sometime  within  that  period  he 
erected  a  dwelling  which,  because  of  its  style  of  architecture, 
has  always  been  known  as  "The  Gothic."  After  passing 
through  several  hands,  this  property  was  purchased  by  the  Uni- 
versity in  1885,  and  used  for  a  number  of  years  by  the  depart- 
(31) 


ALFRED    UXIVERSITV.  497 

inents  of  physics  and  chemistry,  and  the  recitation  rooms  of  the 
departments  of  Greek  and  Romance  and  Germanic  languages. 
In  1901,  on  the  reorganization  of  the  Theological  Department 
of  the  University,  it  was  repaired  and  furnished  for  the  use  of 
"The  Alfred  Theological   Seminary." 

The  Babcock  Hall  of  Physics  is  named  in  memory  of 
George  H.  Babcock,  who  founded  the  Professorship  of  Physics 
in  1881.  The  corner-stone  of  Babcock  Hall  was  laid,  with 
appropriate  ceremonies,  by  Professor  William  A.  Rogers,  on 
alumni  day,  June  2^,  1897.  The  structure  was  planned  with 
special  reference  to  the  work  of  this  department,  by  Architect 
C.  C.  Chipman,  of  New  York  City.  It  is  located  on  the  site 
of  the  old  gymnasium,  fronting  the  east ;  it  is  one  story  high^ 
with  a  basement;  has  a  tw^o-story  tower  at  the  center  front,  a 
frontage  of  116  feet,  and  greatest  depth  of  90  feet. 

The  building  was  ready  for  use  at  the  opening  of  the 
school  year  of  1898-99,  and  Professor  Rogers  was  to  have 
taken  charge  of  this  department.  His  former  years  of  connec- 
tion with  Alfred  University  and  his  eminence  as  a  scientist 
caused  his  coming  to  be  looked  forward  to  with  peculiar  satis- 
faction;  therefore  his  death  at  Waterville,  Maine,  March  i, 
1898,  caused  very  great  sadness  and  much  concern  as  to  the 
tilling  of  his  place  in  the  University.  However,  a  worthy  suc- 
cessor was  found  in  Professor  Edward  S.  Babcock,  who  has 
filled  the  position  since   1899  with  eminent  satisfaction. 

Professor  Rogers  gave  to  this  building  many  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  rare  and  valuable  aj^paratus ;  and  this,  with 
much  that  has  been  added  since,  makes  Babcock  Hall  one  of 
the  best  equipped  halls  for  the  study  of  the  physical  sciences 
to  be  found  in  the  State.  The  departments  of  Chemistry, 
Mathematics,  and  Industrial  Mechanics  also  have  rooms  in  this 
building. 

Just  north  of  Babcock  Hall  of  Phxsics  stands  the  New 
York  State  School  of  Clay-Working  and  Ceramics.  This 
school  was  established  in  A.  D.  1900  by  an  Act  of  the  Legis- 
lature, and  is  under  the  administration  of  the  Trustees  of  Al- 
fred University.  The  building  is  a  beautiful  structure  of  brick 
and  terra-cotta  with  gray  trimmings,  and  roofed  with  brown 
tile ;  it  has  a  frontage  of  seventy-five  feet  and  a  floor  space  of 
about  thirteen  thousand  square  feet.     It  is  well-equipped  with 


498  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

all  machinery  and  appliances  for  the  carrying  forward  of 
every  department  of  its  work.  Its  Director  is  Professor  Charles 
F.  Binns,  a  man  of  superior  qualification  for  the  position ;  he  is 
President  of  the  American  Ceramic  Society. 

The  last  building  to  come  into  possession  of  the  University 
is  known  as  "Burdick  Hall,"  a  dormitory  for  young  men.  In 
1896  its  owner,  Mr.  William  C.  Burdick,  granted  it  free  of 
rent  for  that  purpose  to  be  so  used  during  his  life.  Mr.  Bur- 
dick died  January  28,  1902 ;  and  the  same  year  his  widow  and 
daughter  donated  the  property  to  the  University.  This  dor- 
mitory is  a  large  frame  building,  three  stories  high  with  attic 
rooms  on  the  fourth  floor.  It  is  well  built  and  well  furnished, 
and  is  generally  in  charge  of  one  of  the  professors  who  makes 
his  home  there. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  in  this  history  of  Alfred  Uni- 
versity that  one  of  its  greatest  needs  at  present  is  a  building 
capable  of  accommodating  its  large  and  growing  library. 

(4).      THE   CAMPUS. 

Special  and  separate  mention  should  be  made  of  the  beau- 
tiful University  Campus  covering  nearly  sixteen  acres  of 
ground,  picturesque  and  attractive.  This,  like  the  Steinheim, 
has  been  a  growth.  It  rests  near  the  foot  of  the  western  slope 
of  Pine  Hill,  nearly  four  hundred  feet  lower  than  the  crest  of 
the  Hill,  but  still  about  eighteen  hundred  feet  above  sea-level. 

To  keep  the  grounds  of  the  institution  open  down  to  Main 
street,  Professors  Kenyon  and  Allen  bought  the  plot  which 
now  forms  the  attractive  University  Park ;  and  some  years  af- 
terward they  gave  this  ground  to  the  University,  and  it  has  been 
adorned  with  trees,  shrubs,  flowers  and  a  fountain. 

Slowdy  and  by  much  personal  work  by  professors,  stu- 
dents and  citizens,  year  by  year  the  rough  hillside  covered  with 
native  forest  has  been  converted  to  a  beautiful  campus,  cov- 
ered with  beautiful  shrubs  and  shade  trees  of  many  varieties, 
broad  lawns  well  kept,  blooming  flowers  and  sparkling  foun- 
tain. 

In  1893  the  will  of  Mr.  George  H.  Babcock  provided  a 
fund,  known  as  the  "E.  Lua  Babcock  Fund,"  whose  income 
is  to  be  used  in  perpetuity  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  uni- 
versity campus  in  comfortable  and  attractive  condition.     Many 


PK(JM;S.S()R    WILLIAM    AUGUSTUS    ROGl'.RS, 

PH.  D.,  LL.  D. 

See    Biogriipliical    Sketclics,    p.    !36!. 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  499 

hundreds  of  dollars  have  already  been  expended  in  replacing 
the  old  college  walks  of  cinder  and  gravel  with  beautiful  wide 
cement  walks.  Nearly  twenty  thousand  square  feet  of  artifi- 
cial stone  walks  now  connect  all  the  university  buildings,  ex- 
cept the  Steinheim ;  and  this  also  will  soon  be  included.  Other 
improvements  have  been  made,  until  no  more  beautiful  cam- 
pus can  anywhere  be  found. 

(5)       FINANCIAL  HISTORY,  ENDOWMENTS,  ETC. 

This  institution"  has  been  fortunate  in  its  treasurers,  who 
have  served  with  ability  and  faithfulness.  They  have  been  as 
follows:  Luke  Green  from  1837  to  1841 ;  Rev.  William  C. 
Kenyon  from  1841,  when  he  assumed  the  entire  indebtedness, 
tc  the  university  charter  in  1857;  Clarke  Rogers  from  1857  to 
1859;  Elisha  Potter  from  1859  to  1879;  and  the  present  treas- 
urer, William  H.  Crandall,  who  has  most  ably  filled  this  posi- 
tion since  1879. 

The  financial  history  of  Alfred  University  is  calculated  -to 
awaken  varying  emotions,  sympathy,  admiration,  hope.  The 
heroic,  self-sacrificing,  successful  labors  of  the  past  afford  the 
highest  stimulus  to  the  most  hopeful  and  unflagging  efforts  of 
lo-day. 

At  first.  Professor  Kenyon  was  employed  at  a  salary  of 
$400.00 ;  but  the  income  of  the  school  did  not  keep  pace  with 
the  rapidly  increasing  numbers  of  students,  which  demanded 
an  increase  in  the  corps  of  instructors. 

In  July,  1849,  ^  compact,  perhaps  without  an  equal  in  the 
history  of  education,  was  entered  into  between  the  seven 
teachers — William  C.  Kenyon,  Jonathan  Allen.  Darwin  E. 
Maxson,  Darius  R.  Ford,  D.  D.  Pickett,  James  Marvin  and  Ira 
Sayles.  They  agreed  to  share  equally  in  the  government,  the 
leaching,  and  the  financial  management  of  the  school ;  and  that 
for  seven  years  they  would  labor  for  $400.00  each  per  year. 
Each  was  to  keep  an  exact  account  of  his  expenses ;  and  if  at 
the  end  of  the  seven  years  there  was  a  surplus  of  funds,  this 
was  to  be  divided  equally  between  them.  Some  of  the  ex- 
pense books  of  these  self-sacrificing  teachers  showed  receipts 
below  $300.00 ;  and  it  is  believed  that  the  average  amount  re- 
ceived by  the  seven  was  little,  if  any,  above  this  figure. 

In  1841  an  addition  was  made  to  the  first  school  building. 


500  •         SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS: 

erected  by  the  village  people,  which  cost  about  $2,000.00  .For 
this  a  subscription  was  taken ;  and  among  the  many  donors  are 
found  the  names  of  Roswell  Adams,  Jesse  Angell,  James  Al- 
len, Joseph  Allen,  Asa  C.  Burdick,  Jabez  Burdick,  Stephen  C. 
Burdick,  Williarn  C.  Burdick,  Decatur  M.  Clarke,  Ezra  S. 
Clarke,  Joel  Clarke,  Lorenzo  Coon,  Roxana  Coon,  Ambrose 
Cory,  Ira  B.  Crandall,  Daniel  Edwards,  John  Edwards,  David 
C.  Green,  Erastus  A.  Green,  Gideon  C.  Green,  Joel  C.  Green, 
Martha  Green,  Philip  S.  Green,  H.  G.  Greenman,  William 
Hyde,  Joel  Kenyon,  Silas  Palmiter,  Benjamin  F.  Potter,  Perry 
Potter,  A.  A.  F.  Randolph,  Cornelius  M.  Rice,  Erastus  A. 
Scott,  Henry  Sheldon,  Samuel  N.  Stillman,  Lorenzo  D.  Wor- 
den. 

After  the  addition  to  the  school  building  in  1841,  Professor 
Kenyon  took  the  school  on  his  own  hands,  paying  all  the  ex- 
penditures and  clearing  up  all  the  debts.  When,  in  1845,  new 
buildings  were  badly  needed,  and  the  trustees  did  not  see  the 
way  clear  to  undertake  the  work,  Professors  Kenyon  and 
Sayles,  with  the  approval  of  the  trustees,  assumed  the  entire 
responsibility ;  and  although  without  means  or  wealthy  back- 
ing, they  borrowed  ten  thousand  dollars  of  Samuel  White,  of 
Whitesville,  N.  Y.,  selected  and  bought  the  site  of  the  present 
campus  which  was  then  in  its  native  state,  and  erected  the 
three  halls  already  referred  to.  It  was  a  bold  undertaking, 
but  subsequent  results  have  confirmed  the  wisdom  of  their  dar- 
ing.    It  was  an  act  of  faith. 

However,  the  needs  of  the  growing  school  have  always 
kept  in  advance  of  the  supply,  and  every  succeeding  year 
showed  a  deficit.  In  1887,  the  debt  of  the  LTniversity  had 
grown  to  $40,000.  The  interest  on  this  amount  added  to  the 
current  demands  made  a  heavy  burden  upon  the  trustees,  and 
it  was  felt  that  some  heroic  efifort  must  be  made  to  lift  the  bur- 
den. "Under  the  leadership  of  President  Allen  and  other 
public  spirited  men,  the  friends  of  the  University  residing  with- 
in hearing  of  the  chapel  bell  rallied  to  its  support;  and  ir]  a 
short  time,  sufficient  contributions  and  pledges  had  been  se- 
cured to  lift  the  entire  debt."  Noble  work  of  noble,  self-sac- 
rificing men  and  women ! 

Since  that  hour  the  grand  rallying  of  the  friends  of  Al- 
fred University  has  made  her  condition  financially  far  more 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  5OI 

encouraging  than  ever  before.  The  University  now  has  an  en- 
dowment of  nearly  $350,000;  and  the  value  of  the  entire  prop- 
erty of  the  institution,  including  endowments,  buildings, 
grounds,  library,  apparatus,  etc.,  is  estimated  at  something 
over  $500,000.  However,  the  changed  conditions  and  the 
greater  demands  of  the  work  of  education  at  the  present  day 
call  for  an  endowment  of  at  least  a  million  dollars ;  this  is  need- 
ed in  order  to  make  available  the  best  results  from  the  equip- 
ment and  facilities  which  the  University  already  possesses. 

The  different  endowments  are  held  in  trust  and  adminis- 
tered by  various  bodies.  The  Trustees  of  the  University  hold 
$94,548.99,  of  which  but  $65,860.00  are  at  present  productive. 
The  Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society  holds  for  the  use 
of  Alfred  University  $55,561.36,  of  which  only  $44,616.93  are 
now  productive.  The  Trustees  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Memorial  Fund  hold  in  trust  $179,047.68,  all  of  which  is  pro- 
ductive, for  the  use  of  Alfred  University.  An  endowment 
fund  of  $10,110.59  (of  which  $9,494  are  at  present  produc- 
tive), raised  by  the  Alumni  of  the  University,  is  held  in  trust 
?.nd  administered  by  their  own  Board  of  Trustees. 

The  faithfulness  and  the  wisdom  with  which  these  various 
bodies  have  managed  the  trusts  committed  to  their  hands  are 
worthy  of  highest  commendation  and  of  the  fullest  apprecia- 
tion of  all  friends  of  Alfred  University. 

In  1867,  Mrs.  Ann  M.  R.  Lyon,  of  New  York  City,  do- 
nated to  the  Trustees  of  Alfred  University  $10,000,  (on  condi- 
tion that  they  would  add  $5,000  to  this  amount),  to  found  the 
'"George  B.  Rogers  Professorship  of  Industrial  Mechanics"  in 
memory  of  her  son,  a  talented  young  man  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years,  and  who  had  given  promise  of  a  life  of 
exceptional  usefulness  and  eminence  as  a  mechanical  engineer. 
The  provisions  of  her  donation  have  been  faithfully  carried 
out. 

In  1868.  the  Annual  Report  of  Alfred  University  to  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society  showed  that  $6,350 
had  been  subscribed  to  found  the  "William  C.  Kenyon  Profes- 
sorship of  the  Latin  Language  and  Literature,"  and  $15,704 
for  the  President's  Chair ;  but  not  all  of  these  subscriptions 
have  been  realized :  something  over  $2,000  have  been  paid  on 
the  latter,  and  less  than  $1,000  on  the  former. 


502-  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

About  the  same  time  a  fund  was  raised  to  found  the 
"Nathan  V.  Hull  Professorship  of  Pastoral  Theology,",toward 
which  not  quite  $4,000  have  as  yet  been  paid  in ;  but  contribu- 
tions are  still  being  made  to  this  fund  from  time  to  time.  Also 
about  $10,000  were  contributed  by  a  number  of  persons  liv- 
ing in  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  toward  founding  a  "Plainfield  Profes- 
sorship of  Doctrinal   Theology." 

In  1870,  Charles  E.  Woolworth,  of  Alfred,  made  a  bequest 
to  the  University,  from  which  $300  have  been  realized.  The 
income  of  this  gift  is  used  for  the  payment  of  teachers'  sala- 
ries. 

About  this  time,  possibly  earlier  or  later,  various  sums 
were  contributed,  chiefly  by  Plainfield  people,  toward  endow- 
ing a  Chair  of  Church  History  and  Homiletics.  This  fund 
now  amounts  to  $6,665. 

In  1 88 1  George  H.  Babcock  placed  with  the  Trustees  of 
the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial  Fund  the  sum  of  thirty 
thousand  dollars  for  the  use  of  Alfred  University,  as  follows : 
The  income  of  $20,000  to  go  to  the  support  of  the  Chair  of 
Physics,  and  the  income  of  $10,000  for  .the  support  of  the 
Chair  of  Greek  Language  and  Literature.  To  the  latter  he 
designated  the  title  of  the  "William  B.  Maxson  Professorship 
of  the  Greek  Language  and  Literature ;"  and  to  the  former 
the  Trustees  of  the  University  gave  the  name  of  the  "Babcock 
Professorship  of  Physics." 

In  1886  the  "Alumni  Association  of  Alfred  University" 
was  organized,  and  at  once  established  a  fund  for  the  endow- 
ment of  the  President's  Chair,  giving  it  the  title  of  the  "Ken- 
yon-Allen  Endowment  Fund."  This  fund  now  amounts  to 
over  $10,000,  $3,000  of  which  was  given  by  Judge  N".  M. 
Hubbard,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  of  the  class  of  '52,  and  is  be- 
ing constantly  increased  by  the  payment  of  subscriptions  al- 
ready made,  and  by  the  gifts  of  generous  and  loyal  Alumni. 

In  1887  the  Trustees  of  Alfred  University  received  by  the 
bequest  of  Harriet  Potter,  of  Westerly,  R.  I.,  $5,000;  and  in 
1 89 1  another  $5,000  by  the  bequest  of  her  sister,  Maria  Louise 
Potter,  to  found  the  "Rhode  Island  Professorship." 

In  1888  Charles  Potter,  of  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  Memorial 
Fund  $20,000  for  the  purpose  of  endowing  in  Alfred  Uni- 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  503 

versity  a  professorship  to  be  called  the  "Charles  Potter  Profes- 
sorship of  History  and  Political  Science."  This  chair  was  fill- 
ed by  the  Rev.  Lester  C.  Rogers,  D.  D.,  from  April  10,  1888, 
until  his  death,  January  2,  1900;  for  the  last  two  years  of  this 
time,  however,  it  was  necessary  to  employ  an  assistant  on  ac- 
count of  the  failing  health  of  Professor  Rogers. 

In  1893  by  the  bequest  of  George  H.  Babcock,  of  Plain- 
field,  X.  J.,  the  Trustees  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  jMemo- 
lial  Fund  received  from  his  estate,  for  the  use  of  Alfred  Uni- 
versity, funds  as  follows :  $20,000  to  be  known  as  the  "E.  Lua 
Babcock  Fund,"  and  used  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  uni- 
versity grounds  in  good  order  and  repair,  and  "of  inculcating 
ideas  and  habits  of  order  and  neatness  among  the  students ;" 
and  $50,000  for  the  use  of  the  Trustees  of  Alfred  University 
"for  such  purposes  as  they  shall  deem  best."  This  last  gift  is 
designated  by  the  Trustees  as  the  "George  H.  Babcock  Fund." 
Only  the  income  of  these  bequests  is  to  be  paid  to  and  used  by 
the  Trustees  of  Alfred  University,  for  the  purposes  indicated. 
This  gift  made  Mr.  Babcock's  endowment  of  the  University 
$100,000. 

By  the  will  of  Peter  Wooden,  of  North  Plainfield,  N.  J., 
made  September  3,  1888,  and  admitted  to  probate  January  28, 
1895,  Alfred  University  received  $500,  and  was  also  made  resi- 
duary legatee  of  his  entire  estate.  From  this  source  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  University  have  already  received  $9,329.13,  which 
is  designated  by  them  as  the  "Peter  Wooden  Fund,"  and  it  is 
expected  that  not  less  than  $20,000  will  be  realized  from  this 
bequest.  The  income  of  this  fund  is  "to  be  applied  to  the  uses 
and  purposes  of  said  University,  and  under  its  direction  and 
control  forever."     Mr.  Wooden  died  January  14,  1895. 

In  April,  1899,  Mrs.  H.  Alice  Fisher,  of  Northborough, 
Mass.,  conditionally  donated  to  Alfred  University  a  house  and 
lot  in  the  city  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  reserving  to  herself  a  life 
estate  therein ;  and  providing  that,  if  the  property  be  sold  by 
the  Trustees  (with  her  consent),  they  are  to  pay  her  interest 
at  the  rate  of  four  per  cent,  on  the  selling  price,  during  her 
natural  life. 

Mrs.  Julia  M.  Rogers  Powers,  of  New  London,  Conn.,  a 
sister  of  the  late  Professor  William  A.  Rogers,  left  a  bequest 
of  $500.00  to  be  applied  on  the  William  A.  Rogers  Professor- 


504  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

ship  of  Astronomy  in  Alfred  University.     Mrs,  Powers  died 
May  3,  1899. 

In  1901,  by  the  will  of  Dr.  Ellen  F.  Swinney,  who  died 
November  14,  1900,  Alfred  University  has  received  the  sum  of 
$398.64.  Dr.  Swinney  devoted  her  whole  life  to  the  promo- 
tion of  the  physical,  mental  and  spiritual  welfare  of  humanity ; 
and  the  influence  of  that  life-work  will  be  perpetuated  through 
this  last  act  of  her  noble  heart. 

Rev.  Julius  M.  Todd,  an  aged  and  devoted  minister  of  the 
denomination,  bequeathed  to  Alfred  University  $100  to  be  used 
or  invested  "as  may  be  deemed  best  for  its  interests."  His  will 
was  dated  September  17,  1901.  He  died  October  i,  1901,  in 
his  83rd  year. 

Mrs.  Nancy  M.  Frank,  of  Alfred  Station,  N.  Y.,  who  died 
in  December,  1902.  gave  to  Alfred  University  by  her  will,  pro- 
bated January  31.  1902,  an  interest  in  her  estate  as  follows: 
"The  remaining  full  third  part.  .  .  .to  be  safely  invested  and 
left  invested,  the  income  only  to  be  used  for  the  purposes  of 
said  University,  as  the  Trustees  thereof  may  deem  best."  The 
amount  of  this  bequest  is  not  yet  known. 

The  last  bequest  to  be  mentioned  is  peculiarly  touching  be- 
cause made  by  a  colored  resident  of  Alfred,  George  Parker, 
who  was  born  in  slavery  in  North  Carolina,  and  brought  North 
by  Professor  (Captain)  Ira  Sayles  at  the  close  of  the  Civil 
War.  Mr.  Parker  settled  in  Alfred,  and  for  many  years  toiled 
•  hard  and  faithfully  to  realize  a  cherished  ambition,  that  of  own- 
ing a  farm  of  his  own.  This  he  accomplished  about  nineteen 
years  ago,  when  the  farm  became  his,  which  he  has  now  be- 
queathed to  Alfred  University.  Though  born  in  servitude,  and 
without  education  himself,  he  has  always  been  deeply  interest- 
ed in  the  work  of  education.  He  attended  school  for  several 
terms,  but  it  was  hard  for  him  to  learn.  It  is  certainly  a  most 
noble  act  for  this  colored  friend  of  the  University  to  devote  the 
fruit  of  his  life's  hard  earnings,  in  perpetuity,  to  the  education 
of  young  people.  It  is  a  beautiful  expression  of  his  gratitude 
to  the  friends  who  received  him  when  he  came  out  of  bondage, 
and  of  his  appreciation  of  the  work  so  dear  to  them  who  wel- 
comed and  aided  him  in  his  time  of  need.  His  will  describes 
the  location  of  his  farm,  and  then  devises  it,  after  the  death  of 
his  wife,  Ellen  Parker,  to  the  Trustees  of  Alfred  University, 


Ri:V.  KTHAN  PENDLETON  LARKIN.  PH.  D. 
See   niogmphical   Sketches,    p.  1361. 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  .  505 

'"to  be  used  in  such  manner  as  the  said  Trustees  shall  deem 
most  advantageous  to  the  interests  of  said  University."  Mr. 
Parker  died  May  28,  1902,  having  enjoyed  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  all  who  knew  him  throughout  his  residence  in  the 
town  of  Alfred  ever  since  the  war  which  emancipated  his  race. 

The  endowment  of  scholarships  in  Alfred  University  de- 
serves a  separate  chapter  in  the  financial  history  of  the  institu- 
tion. This  work  began  in  July,  1856,  with  the  donation  by 
Thomas  B.  Stillman  of  $5,000  whose  income  was  to  be  devoted 
to  aiding  "any  person  or  persons  who  depend  entirely  upon 
their  own  exertions  to  defray  their  educational  expenses." 
This  fund  is  known  as  the  "Thomas  Bliss  Stillman  Scholar- 
ship." For  the  nearly  fifty  years  past,  many  worthy  young 
people  have  received  needed  aid  from  this  generous  benefac- 
tion.    In  1857  several  small  scholarships  were  endowed. 

Three  systems  of  scholarships  are  in  force  in  Alfred  Uni- 
versity :  first,  those  already  mentioned,  which  are  known  as 
"Ten  per  cent,  scholarships ;"  second,  "Competitive  free 
scholarships,"  which  are  granted  under  certain  conditions  to 
High  School  pupils  in  the  New  York  counties  of  Allegheny, 
Steuben,  Cattaraugus,  Livingston  and  Wyoming,  and  to  the 
Pennsylvania  counties  of  McKean,  Potter  and  Tioga.  A  third 
class  of  scholarships  is  known  as  the  "One  thousand  dollar 
scholarships ;"  these  may  be  established  by  the  single  payment 
of  $1,000.  or  conditionally  by  a  first  payment  of  $100  followed 
by  annual  installments  of  not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars.  The 
owner  of  a  scholarship  is  entitled  to  keep  in  attendance  at  the 
University  one  student  who  will  be  credited  on  his  tuition  with 
the  income  of  the  fund,  until  the  thousand  dollars  are  paid  in 
full,  after  which  time  the  beneficiary  will  be  granted  free  tui- 
tion. 

This  last  class  of  scholarships  was  instituted  by  an  act  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  in  1894.  The  plan  is  to  establish  fifty 
groups  of  ten  each.  Already  five  full  groups  have  been  form- 
ed, making  fifty  fully  paid,  or  conditional,  scholarships  in  oper- 
ation, as  follows : 

First  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  of  Alfred.     1895. 

Ladies  of  Alfred.     1896. 

Shiloh  Seventh-day  Baptist  church.     1896. 


506  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Plainfield  Seventh-day  Baptist  church.     1896. 

The  Samuel  N.  StiHman  Scholarship.     1899. 

New  York  Seventh-day  Baptist  church.     1899. 

The  William  Elbridge  Witter  Scholarship.     1899. 

Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  Westerly,  R.  I.     1900. 

The  Lillian  Brown  Scholarship.     1900. 

The  Class  of  1879  Scholarship.     June,  1900. 

The  Class  of   1890  Scholarship.     November,   1900. 

The   Alleghenian   Lyceum.     December,    1900. 

The  Orophilian  Lyceum.     December,  1900. 

The  Alfriedian  Lyceum.     A I  ay,  1901. 

First  Genesee  Seventh-day  Baptist  Church.     May,   1901. 

The  Charles  Henry  Stanton  Scholarship.     October,  1901. 

First  Congregational  Society  of  Wellsville,  N.  Y.  De- 
cember, 1 90 1. 

The  George  Stillman  Greenman  Scholarship.  February, 
1902. 

The  Dennison  &  Sons  Scholarship.     April,  1902. 

The  William  Russell  Clarke  Scholarship.     April,  1902. 

The  Edgar  Henry  Cottrell  Scholarship.     May,  1902. 

The  James  Reed  Irish  Scholarship.     May,  1902. 

The  Christ  Church  (Episcopal)  Scholarship,  Hornells- 
ville,  N.  Y.     May,  1902. 

The  Choir  of  the  Pawcatuck  Church,  Westerly,  R.  L 
May,  1902. 

Isaac  Wheeler  Fassett  and  Cynthia  Parmenter  Fassett 
Scholarship.     June,   1902. 

Ella  Lewis  Packard  Scholarship.     July,  1902, 

The  Class  of  1892  Scholarship.     July,  1902. 

Susan.  Minerva  Burdick  Scholarship.     August,   1902. 

Phebe  Ann  Stillman   Scholarship.     September,   1902. 

Abby  Kinsley  Witter  Scholarship,  September,  1902. 

Frank  Sullivan  Smith  Scholarship.     October,  1902. 

Ezra  Potter  Crandall.     November,  1902. 

Athenaean  Lyceum.     November,  1902. 

Martin  Luther  and  Ella  Norris  Rumpff  Scholarship. 
November,  1902. 

Ira  Babcock  Crandall.     November,  1902. 

Nathan  Vars  Hull.     December,  1902, 

Ethan  Lanphear.     December,  1902. 


HPfi 

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■^                  ^^^^^  _Jl, 

REV.  BOOTHE  COLWJCLL  DAVIS,  PI  I.  D. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1361. 


D.  D. 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  507 

Arthur  Ehvin  Main.     December,   1902, 
The  Abigail  Allen  Memorial  Scholarship.     January,  1903. 
The  Enos  W.   Barnes   Memorial   Scholarship.     January, 
3903. 

The  International  Sunshine  Society  Scholarship.  Feb- 
ruary,  1903. 

Charles  Manning  Lewis.     March,  1903. 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Wellsville,  N.  Y.     May,  1903. 
The  ]\Iary  Brown  Allen   Scholarship.     May,   1903. 
Aurelia    Crandall    Green    Hemphill    Scholarship.     May, 
1903. 

W'ardner  Carpenter  Titsworth.     May,  1903. 
George  Edward  Brainard.     ^lay,  1903. 
The  Chicago   (111.)   Church  Scholarship.     May,  1903. 
The   Amanda   ]\I.   Burdick   Scholarship.     May,    1903. 
The  "Alfred  the  Great"  Scholarship.     May,   1903. 

In  1899  "The  Centennial  Fund"  was  established  with  the 
expectation  that  it  will  amount  to  $100,000  when  the  univer- 
sity shall  celebrate  its  centennial  in  A.  D.  1936.  Gifts  to  this 
fund  may  be  made  in  amounts  from  one  dollar  to  one  hundred 
dollars.  Considerable  interest  has  been  taken  in  this  move- 
ment, and  the  Fund  is  steadily  increasing.  Already  the  treas- 
urer's books  show  $3,336. 

The  last  two  movements,  the  "One  thousand  dollar  schol- 
arship" and  "The  Centennial  Fund."  in  their  origin  and  prose- 
cution, are  due  chiefly  to  the  fertility  and  energy  of  Treasurer 
William  H.  Crandall,  who,  while  carrying  forward  personal 
lines  of  business  that  would  tax  many  minds,  is  continually 
thinking  of  Alfred  University,  and  devising  means  and 
methods  of  advancing  her  noble  work.  Alfred  University  is 
[jarticularly  fortunate  in  having  so  able  and  devoted  a  treas- 
urer. His  service  is  beyond  all  praise  for  faithfulness,  enthu- 
siasm and  success. 

TRU.STEES. 

It  would  be  unjust  to  fail  to  make  mention  of  the  faithful 
and  self-sacrificing  labors  of  the  men  who  have  composed  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  At  the  expense  of  much  time  and  thought, 
as  well  as  by  many  liberal  contributions  of  money,  these  noble 


0^ 


SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  ; 


friends  of  A-lfred  University  have  planned  and  labored  heroic- 
ally and  successfully  for  the  promotion  of  higher  learning  as 
tepresented  in  this  mstitution.  From  the  long  list  of  those 
who  have  served  the  University  so  well  in  this  capacity,  it  would 
seem  unfair  to  name  one  without  naming  all.  It  may  be  well, 
however,  to  give  the  list  of  those  who  have  been  chosen  by 
their  associates  to  preside  over  the  Board. 

PRESIDENTS   OF   THE  BOARD  OF   TRUSTEES. 

David  Stillman    1837-41. 

Hon.  Samuel  Russell   1841-48. 

Rev.  Nathan  V.  Hull,  D.  D 1848-62. 

Hon.   Benjamin   F.   Langworthy 1862-92. 

Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  D.  D 1892-93. 

George  H.  Babcock 1893-94. 

Rev.  L.  E.  Livermore 1894-96. 

Hon.  A.  B.  Cottrell 1896- 

Mr.  Babcock  was  President  of  the  Board  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

Mr.  Langworthy  was  connected  with  the  Board  from  1857 
to  the  time  of  his  death,  1895 ;  and  was  its  President  for  thirty 
years. 

(6)       THE  TEACHERS   IN   ALFRED   UNIVERSITY. 

In  the  sixty-seven  years  of  its  history,  Alfred  L^niversity 
has  had  nearly  or  quite  one  hundred  persons,  men  and  women, 
on  its  faculty  lists,  besides  the  many  who  from  time  to  time 
have  been  employed  as  tutors.  Though  less  conspicuous  for 
ability  and  efficiency  than  the  chosen  leaders,  many  of  these 
toiled  as  faithfully  and  sacrificed  as  devotedly  to  advance  all 
the  interests  of  the  school.  One  familiar  with  the  institution 
from  its  birth  has  written :  "The  faculty  has  always  been  com- 
posed of  men  and  women  of  strong  character,  who  have  given 
their  energies  not  only  to  the  building  up  of  their  own  depart- 
m.ents,  but  to  everything  that  would  help  the  growth  and  pros- 
perity of  the  University." 

Through  the  years  there  have  been  constant  and  many 
changes  among  the  teachers.  All  the  worthy  ones  cannot  be 
named,  and  it  may  seem  invidfous  to  select  a  few  and  omit  men- 
tion of  others  equally  worthy.  At  first,  all  teaching  and  man- 
agement devolved  upon  Professor  Kenyon.     In  1840,  his  wife. 


4'. 


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Pi- 


^52 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  5O9 

]\Irs.  Melissa  Ward  Kenyon,  became  assistant  teacher  in  the 
EngHsh  department. 

Increasing  patronage  made  necessary  an  increase  in  the 
teaching  force,  and  in  1842  ]\liss  CaroHne  B.  ]\Iaxson.  of  De- 
Ruyter,  X.  Y.,  was  engaged  as  preceptress  and  teacher  of 
modern  languages,  and  assistant  in  mathematics.  In  1843-4 
John  D.  Collins  was  assistant  teacher  of  Latin.  In  1844-5 
Gurdon  Evans  and  Jonathan  Allen  became  assistant  teachers 
i:i  mathematics.  About  this  time  Ira  Sayles  and  Darius  R. 
Ford  were  assistant  teachers  under  "Boss  Kenyon,"  as  he  was 
respectfully  called.  In  1845  Ira  Sayles.  (the  first  student  to 
legister  his  name  when  Professor  Kenyon  assumed  the  princi- 
palship  in  1839),  became  associate  principal. 

Many  of  the  old  teachers  have,  earlier  or  later,  finished 
their  faithful  and  fruitful  day  of  toil,  and  have  entered  upon 
a  well-earned  rest ;  some  of  these,  who  will  be  gratefully  re- 
membered by  many  old  alumni,  are  ]\Irs.  President  Allen,  the 
devoted  and  able  helpmeet  of  her  distinguished  husband ;  Rev. 
Darwin  E.  Maxson,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Ethan  P.  Larkin,  Ph.  D., 
D.  D.,  William  A.  Rogers,  Ph.  D.,  Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams, 
D.  D..  Rev.  Nathan  V.  Hull.  D.  D.,  Amelia  E.  Stillman,  A.  M., 
Henry  C.  Coon,  Ph.  D.,  M.  D.,  Martha  B.  Saunders,  A.  M., 
Rev."  Lester  C.  Rogers,  D.  D.,  Professor  Prosper  Miller. 

Others  still,  who  did  good  and  faithful  work  here,  yet  live 
and  are  engaged  elsewhere  either  in  teaching  or  in  other 
learned  professions ;  some  of  these  are  Rev.  Darius  R.  Ford, 
D.  D..  Jairus  M.  Stillman,  Mus.  Doc,  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D., 
LL.  D.,  Professor  Albert  Whitford,  A.  M.,  Mark  Sheppard, 
Ph.  M.,  M.  D.,  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  A.  M.,  Professor 
William  R.  Prentice,  A.  M.,  President  George  Scott,  A.  M., 
Ph.  D.,  Professor  N.  Wardner  Williams,  Ph.  D.,  Professor 
Alfred  A.  Titsworth,  S.  M.,  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,    A.    M., 

D.  D.,  Principal  Frederick  S.  Place,  A.  M.,  P>.  D.,  Dr.  Charles 
M.  Post,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.,  Professor  George  W.  Hill,  Professor 
Bertrude  B.  Harris,  B.  L.,  Professor  Inez  R.  Maxson,  A.  M., 
Fed.  B.,  Professor  Francis  A.  J.  Waldron,  A.  M.,  Miss  Elvira 

E.  Kenyon,  Professor  Anderson  R.  Wightman. 

The  present  faculty  of  the  University  numbers  twelve  pro- 
fessors and  four  tutors  in  the  college;  seven  teachers  in  the 


510  SEVENTH-DAY    DAPTISTS  : 

academy;  and  three  in  the  State  School  (besides  the  seven  col- 
lege professors  who  give  instruction  in  that  department). 

It  is  worthy  of  special  mention  that  two  members  of  the 
present  college  faculty  have  been  connected  with  the  University 
lor  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Professor  Alpheus  B. 
Kenyon,  S.  M.,  College  Registrar,  has  been  connected  with  the 
institution  as  teacher  continuously  since  1874 — tzvenfy-ninc 
years.  Professor  Edward  M.  Tomlinson,  A.  M.,  Librarian 
and  Secretary  of  the  Faculty,  began  his  work  of  teaching  in 
the  university  in  1867 — thirty-six  years  ago.  In  1871  he  re- 
signed his  position,  and  in  1872-74  was  a  student  in  the  Univer- 
sities of  Berlin  and  Leipsic;  in  1875-77  he  was  Professor  of 
Greek,  Latin  and  German  at  Germantown  Academy;  in  1881 
he  was  elected  to  the  William  B.  Maxson  Professorship  of  the 
Greek  Language  and  Literature  in  Alfred  University,  which 
position  he  still  fills. 

The  history  of  the  work  of  these  teachers  named  above  will 
never  be  written  with  ink  and  pen ;  it  is  inscribed  upon  many 
grateful  hearts,  and  illuminated  before  the  world  in  many 
lives  inspired  by  their  instruction  and  influence.  Many  of 
those  named  have  given  the  best  years  of  their  lives  in  con- 
scientious work  for  those  who  came  to  Alfred  seeking  an  edu- 
cation. Their  reward  has  been  meager  as  the  world  counts 
remuneration,  "but  better  than  gold  or  silver  is  the  knowledge 
that  higher  aims  and  nobler  purposes  have  come  to  those  for 
whom  they  labored." 

(7)       THE   STUDENTS   OF  ALFRED   UNIVERSITY. 

During  its  history  of  sixty-seven  years,  Alfred  University 
has  had  under  its  instruction  over  ten  thousand  students  of  all 
grades,  and  has  sent  out  seven  hundred  and  ninety  graduates, 
including  those  of  June  25,  1903. 

Worthy  of  being  recorded  here  are  the  names  of  the  little 
band  that  formed  the  first  select  school  taught  in  Alfred  by 
Rev.  Bethuel  C.  Church.  They  are  fifteen  gentlemen  and 
twenty-two  ladies :  Jonathan  Allen,  Daniel  C.  Babcock, 
Gardner  P.  Barber,  Edwin  S.  Burdick,  Benjamin  F.  Collins, 
John  D.  Collins,  Amos  W.  Coon,  Ezra  P.  Crandall,  E.  Rogers 
Crandall,  Erastus  A.  Green,  Oliver  P.  Hull,  Nathan  Maxson, 
Stephen   Maxson,   David   R.   Stillman,    Orra    Stillman,    Lois 


PROF.  ALPHEUS  BURDICK  KI'A'VON.  SC.  D. 
See    Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1361. 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  5II 

Babcock,  Zoa  Black,  Clarissa  Burdick,  Amorilla  Collins,  Eliza 
Crandall,  Maria  Crandall.  Mary  A.  Crandall,  Olive  Hall, 
Martha  Hull,  Arminda  Maxson,  Phebe  A.  Maxson,  Samantha 
Maxson,  Susan  Maxson,  Emeline  Miner,  Avis  Satterlee,  Su- 
sannah Saunders,  Julia  A.  Spicer,  Sophia  Spicer,  Amanda  M. 
Stillman,  Emma  Stillman,  L.  Elvira  Stillman,  Sally  Stillman. 

Thirty-six  new  names  were  enrolled  the  next  year ;  and 
there  were  forty  scholars  when  Mr.  Irish  took  charge  of  the 
school. 

According  to  the  Decennial  Catalogue,  issued  in  1886, 
the  first  class  graduated  from  Alfred  Academy,  in  1844,  con- 
sisted of  ten  ladies  and  seventeen  gentlemen ;  among  the  names 
given  are  those  of  Jonathan  Allen,  Hiram  P.  Burdick,  Asa 
Clark  Burdick.  Gurdon  Evans,  Daniel  D.  Pickett,  and  Ira 
Sayles.  Three  of  these  afterward  became  professors  in  the 
school.  Among  the  lady  graduates  are  three  who  became  the 
waves  of  the  three  professors — Kenyon,  Allen  and  Sayles. 

The  average  matriculates  per  year  were,  for  the  first  de- 
cade, 98 ;  for  the  second,  225  ;  for  the  third,  185  ;  for  the  fourth, 
161 ;  for  the  fifth,  136. 

The  highest  number  of  matriculations  for  any  one  year 
was  that  of  1852-3,  when  360  new  students  registered. 

The  average  registration  per  year  was,  for  the  first  de- 
cade, 161  ;  for  the  second,  419 ;  for  the  third,  385  ;  for  the 
fourth,  383  ;  for  the  fifth,  401. 

Notwithstanding  the  fluctuation  in  attendance,  there  was 
a  constant  increase  in  the  average  attendance  from  decade  to 
decade,  as  shown  by  the  figures  68,  189,  198,  238,  255. 

Besides  this,  there  w^as  a  steady  increase  in  the  average 
length  of  attendance  per  student  through  the  five  decades,  as 
follows:  first  decade.  1.6  years;  second,  1.8  years;  third,  2.1 
■\ears;  fourth,  2.4  years;  fifth,  3  years.  This  indicates  on  the 
part  of  the  young  people  a  growing  appreciation  of  a  larger 
and  broader  culture. 

The  average  age,  through  the  fifty  years,  was  nearly  the 
same  from  decade  to  decade — about  eighteen  years. 

Alfred  University  has  always  believed  most  heartily  in 
the  co-education  of  thfe  sexes,  and  has  therefore  from  the  be- 
ginning wclcojned  the  ladies  upon  the  same  terms,  and  to  the 


512  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

same  privileges,  as  the  gentlemen.  Their  numbers  have  gen- 
erally been  pretty  well  balanced,  with  some  notable  exceptions. 
In  1852-3,  of  the  360  matriculations,  199  were  ladies  ;  in  1862-3 
they  were  just  equal,  81  of  each ;  of  the  248  in  1873-4,  there 
were  just  100  more  ladies  than  gentlemen.  Li  1846-7  there 
were  263  matriculations,  and  the  gentlemen  outnumbered  the 
ladies  by  41 ;  out  of  264  in  1849-50,  there  were  160  gentlemen. 
In  1854-5  the  ladies  were  less  than  half  the  gentlemen,  67  to 
142 ;  the  disproportion  this  year  was  equalled  only  by  that  of 
1873-4,  when  the  number  of  ladies  more  than  doubled  that  of 
the  gentlemen,  174  to  74. 

Ir  should  be  stated  that  lady  students  have  shown  them.' 
selves  equal  to  their  brothers  in  mental  power,  and  in  success- 
ful application  to  their  studies ;  and  the  influence  of  the  sexes 
upon  each  other,  in  study  and  in  recitation,  is  always  healthful 
and  stimulating. 

Alfred  has  been  called  "the  home  of  the  poor  student,"  and 
has  always  been  characterized  by  a  warm  sympathy  for  young 
people  who  are  hungry  for  an  education,  and  dependent  upon 
their  own  exertions.  The  school  was  prepared  for  this  through 
the  circumstances  and  experiences  of  its  founders.  President 
Allen  chopped  cord-wood  to  pay  his  first  tuition.  Of  its  first 
President,  it  is  said :  "William  C.  Kenyon  lived,  toiled — O, 
how  incessantly,  how  unselfishly  he  toiled — and  died  for  the 
cause  of  education  in  Western  New  York.  He  came  to  Alfred 
a  poor  young  man  ;  he  built  up  a  grand  school  for  poor,  young 
men ;  he  died  poor ;  but  he  bequeathed  a  comparatively  large 
property  to  the  cause  and  mterest  of  education — a  property 
consisting  of  grounds,  buildings,  and  apparatus  controlled  by 
the  State,  and  devoted  wholly  and  exclusively  to  educational 
purposes.  Others  might  labor  for  a  private  fortune,  President 
Kenyon's  sole  object  in  life  was  to  educate  the  rising  genera- 
tion, to  help  by  every  possible  means  poor  young  men  and 
poor  young  women  who  were  struggling  for  an  education. 
He  never  took  his  eye  from  that  mark ;  he  never  remitted  his 
efforts  nor  diverted  his  aim  from  that  end." 

It  is  related  that  a  young  man  in  New  England  wrote  Pro- 
fessor Kenyon  asking  him  if  there  wa?  any  way  in  Alfred  by 
which  an  almost  penniless  boy,  hungry  for  an  education  and 
(32) 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  513 

not  afraid  to  work,  might  take  a  course  of  study  ?  The  imme- 
diate reply  was:  "Come  on,  young  man;  there  is  room  here 
for  lots  of  just  such  boys  as  you."  He  came  and  worked  his 
way  through  the  entire  course  of  study.  That  young  man  was 
Darwin  E.  Maxson,  who  became  a  mighty  man  of  strength 
and  usefulness  in  the  University,  in  the  county,  and  in  the  de- 
nomination. 'Poverty  is  not  always  a  detriment !  Some  mar- 
vellous characters  have  been  developed  under  its  ministries.  If 
a  young  person  is  hungry  enough  for  an  education  to  work  for 
it,  he  is  apt  to  appreciate  it  and  know  how  to  use  it  vv-hen  se- 
cured. 

Tuition  was  placed  very  low  that  no  hungry  mind  might 
go  unfed.  For  the  common  English  branches  only  $3.50  per 
term  was  charged ;  and  for  the  higher  branches,  only  $4.75. 
Board  w^as  but  one  dollar  per  w-eek,  until  1858,  when  it  was 
placed  at  $1.50.  Many  students  boarded  themselves,  and 
every  facility  was  afforded  by  which  they  might  work  their 
way  with  but  little  cash.  Sometimes  a  young  man  would 
come  driving  a  cow,  hire  pasture,  and  pay  his  way  by  selling 
the  extra  milk  he  did  not  need  for  himself.  Some  cut  and  split 
wood  for  families  of  the  village,  dusted  carpets,  cleaned  houses, 
etc.,  etc. ;  and  some  who  are  in  eminent  places  to-dav  thus  work- 
ed their  way  through  the  full  college  course.  Mrs.  President 
Allen  says:  "Such  struggling  students  have  always  stood 
among  the  first  in  their  classes,  and  as  they  have  gone  out  to 
the  world's  work,  many  of  them  have  held  leading  positions  of 
responsibility  and  influence." 

The  citizens  of  Alfred  have  always  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  the  students,  and  have  opened  friendly  doors  for  their  ac- 
commodation, giving  them  op])ortunities  to  work  for  their 
board,  or  jobs  of  work  by  which  they  might  help  themselves — 
realizing  that  the  best  help  is  to  help  one  to  help  himself. 

Alfred  has  been  especially  fortunate  and  blessed  in  the 
high  moral  and  religious  character  which  has  prevailed  in  the 
student  body  throughout  her  entire  history.  An  index  of  this  is 
found  in  the  strong  and  active  Christian  Associations  which 
have  been  sustained  voluntarily  for  many  years,  and  have  ex- 
erted a  marked  influence  upon  the  lives  of  many.  These  socie- 
ties began  in  the  spring  term  of   1846  with  what  was  called 


5,14  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

"The  Theological  Society,"  but  changed  its  name  in  time  to 
that  of  "Christian  Union."  However,  it  was  not  until  1893 
that  the  present  Christian  organizations  were  brought  into  or- 
ganic co-operation  with  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  Y.  W.  C.  A. 
movements. 

An  important  feature  of  the  University  is  the  voluntary, 
earnest  and  effective  literary  work  of  its  students  in  the  various 
Lyceums.  These  have  been  exceedingly  valuable  in  discover- 
ing and  developing  marked  literary  and  forensic  ability. 

In  1836-37  "The  Alfred  Debating  Society"  was  organized, 
and  The  Alfred  Student  of  June,  1876,  records  the  names  of 
thirty-three  ''originators  and  promoters  who  participated  in 
the  debates  from  1836  to  1842." 

June  15.  1842,  a  more  definite  and  formal  organization 
took  place  under  the  name  of  "The  Franklin  Academic  Lyceum 
of  Alfred."  The  following  preamble  was  adopted:  "We, 
the  students  of  Alfred  Academy  and  gentlemen  of  its  vicinity, 
feeling  desirous  of  securing  to  ourselves  every  advantage  prac- 
ticable for  improving  the  mind ;  and  believing  a  well  and 
permanently  organized  Lyceum  to  be  one  of  the  most  efficient 
means  for  attaining  the  desired  result,  do  hereby  organize  our- 
selves into  the  Franklin  Lyceum."  Constitution  and  By-Laws 
were  adopted,  and  a  list  is  preserved  of  "officers,  disputants, 
lecturers,  and  themes  discussed,  from  1842  to  1848." 

About  the  only  resolution  appearing  upon  the  records  of 
this  Lyceum  was  one  authorizing  the  secretary  "to  furnish 
three  candles  per  evening." 

In  the  fall  of  1846  "The  Ladies'  Alphadelphian  Society" 
was  organized ;  this  was  accomplished  through  the  influence 
of  Miss  Maxson  (afterward  Mrs.  President  Allen). 

In  January,  1847,  "The  Didaskalian,"  or  Teachers'  Asso- 
ciation, was  formed  for  both  ladies  and  gentlemen  with  special 
reference  to  the  wants  and  interests  of  teachers.  This  society 
gave  much  time  to  parliamentary  rules,  "seventy-two  speeches 
being  made  one  evening  upon  a  single  point."  Essays  of  much 
ability  and  great  length  were  presented  in  the  early  history  of 
this  society — Mr.  Allen  giving  one  that  was  "twenty  feet  in 
length,  full  of  fine  analysis  and  criticism."  By  degrees  the 
Franklin  and  the  Alphadelphian  were  merged  into  the  Didas- 
kalian.    In  September,  1851,  the  Didaskalian  was  changed  to 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  515 

tlie  Aileghenian  ("Head  of  the  ^vlighty"),  with  the  motto. 
Persevcrantia  Omnia  Vincit.' 

In  1848  or  1849  came  the  "Rough  and  Ready"  Society, 
\\'hose  number  was  Hmited  to  sixteen,  and  every  member  was 
expected  to  take  part  in  every  meeting,  whether  prepared  or 
not. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  school,  the  Platqnic  and  Am- 
phyctionic  Societies  were  organized  by  the  Greek  and  Latin 
classes  for  the  purpose  of  giving  greater  attention  to  classical 
literature,  etc.  These  offered  equal  opportunities  to  both 
sexes,  flourished  for  a  time,  but  finally  divided  into  branches 
from  which  have  come  the  four  present  Lyceums.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1850,  chiefly  from  the  "Amphyctionic"  Society,  the  Oro- 
philian  ("lover  of  oratory")  was  organized,  with  the  motto 
expressive  of  their  design,  Eloqitciitia  Muiidiiiii  Rc^^it. 

Although  the  first  ladies'  society,  the  "Alphadelphian," 
was  absorbed  in  other  societies  for  both  sexes,  a  new  society, 
the  "Ladies'  Literary,"  was  formed  in  1850 — Mrs.  Professor 
Marvin  being  its  first  President.  In  1864  it  chose  the  name 
Alfriedian  with  the  motto  Excelsior. 

The  "Ladies'  Athenaeum"  was  organized  in  1858,  and 
subsequently  changed  its  name  to  Athenaean,  choosing  the 
motto.  La  Sagcssc  sonticnt  L'Univcrs. 

The  Orophilian,  Alleghenian,  Alfriedian,  and  Athenaean 
Lyceums  have  long  been  permanent  institutions  of  the  L^niver- 
sity,  holding  regular  weekly  sessions  during  the  school  year; 
and  special  sessions  of  much  merit  in  mid-year  and  during 
Commencement  week.  All  have  been  strong,  practical  factors 
in  the  work  of  the  University,  and  have  sent  out  their  active 
members  with  much  added  ability  to  make  practical  use  of  the 
knowledge  gained  during  their  college  course. 

A. strong,  patriotic  and  reform  si)irit  has  always  character- 
ized the  students  and  teachers  of  Alfred  University.  Dr. 
Hiram  P.  Burdick,  one  of  the  "first  graduates,  speaking  of  tem- 
perance reform  says:  "The  school  from  the  first  became  an 
active  and  efficient  worker.  Its  teachers  were  pronounced 
radicals,  not  in  temperance  only,  but  in  all  the  great  reforma- 
tory movements  of  the  age."  The  church  and  school  joined 
forces,  and  as  their  champions  raised  their  banner  they  said: 
"Strike  our  institution,  the  educational  home  of  unborn  gener- 


5l6  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

ations,  with  lightning  if  need  be,  but  never,  while  the  life- 
blood  flows  in  our  veins,  shall  it  be  struck  with  rum  licenses." 
And  Alfred  has  been  kept  free  from  the  legalized  liquor  traf- 
fic. 

Patriotic  devotion  to  the  Union,  and  to  the  principles  of 
human  freedom,  has  been  no  less  intense.  Many  old  students 
took  active  part  in  the  struggles  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State, 
some  of  them  rising  to  prominence  in  the  Legislature  and  in 
the  business  enterprises  of  that  great  commonwealth ;  and  in 
the  great  conflict  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  Alfred 
University  was  not  wanting.  Companies  were  at  once  organ- 
ized for  military  drill  and  praying  circles  were  formed  to  in- 
tercede with  Almighty  God  in  behalf  of  freedom  and  union. 

Every  young  man  of  the  Senior  class  of  1861  enlisted, 
and  all  were  accepted  but  one,  who  was  near-sighted ;  these 
and  many  other  citizens  went  to  Elmira  to  enter  the  23rd  New 
York  Volunteers.  Mrs.  Allen  writes :  "The  morning  meet- 
ing in  the  chapel,  the  day  that  our  boys  were  to  leave,  can  never 
be  forgotten  by  any  who  were  present.  It  was  crowded  to 
overflowing  by  citizens  and  students,  so  that  there  was  hardly 
standing  room.  The  eleven  gentlemen  of  the  graduating 
class  were  called  upon  in  turn  to  state  tliteir  reasons  for  leav- 
ing their  studies  and  all  peaceful  pursuits  for  the  turmoil  and 
uncertainty  of  war.  Every  heart  was  stirred,  especially  when 
two  of  them  said,  'We  give  our  all — our  lives — and  never  ex- 
pect to  return.'  And  so  it  proved,  for  these  two  came  back 
only  in  their  cofiins." 

Professor  Darwin  E.  Maxson  went  as  Chaplain  in  the 
23rd  New  York  Regiment.  President  Allen  gave  all  encour- 
agement and  assistance  in  his  power,  and  even  accompanied 
"the  boys"  to  Washington,  and  on  to  the  first  Bull  Run  battle, 
where  he  was  saved  from  death  as  by  miracle.  And  so,  as  the 
war  went  on,  new  recruits  from  Alfred  were  frequently  going 
out  to  fill  the  ranks  where  comrades  had  fallen. 

The  character  of  the  Alfred  soldiery  was  marked,  and  is 
something  to  look  back  upon  with  true  pride.  In  those  awful 
days  they  were  recognized  for  their  cool  and  unflinching  brav- 
ery before  the  enemy ;  and  as  well  for  their  unswerving  moral 
heroism.  Again  Mrs.  Allen  writes :  "At  one  time  in  a  severe 
struggle  the  Alfred  boys  seemed  to  have  turned  a  defeat  into 


I 


A    GROUP    OF    ALFRKD    TEACHERS. 
Mrs.  Caroline   (Maxson)    Stillinan.  Mr.s.  Melissa  15.   (Ward)    Kciiyon. 

Mrs.   Ida  F.    (Sallan)    Kenyon.  Mrs.   Abigail   .\.    (Ma.vson)    Allen. 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  517 

victory;  and,  as  their  general  came  up,  he  ordered  the  entire 
corps  to  sakite  them,  which  was  done  with  a  right  good  will 
One  of  them  said  that  during  their  first  campaign,  as  the  smoke 
of  battle  cleared  away,  he  looked  down  the  broken  lines,  and. 
seeing  the  Alfred  boys  standing,  he  said  to  himself,  'They  are 
praying  for  us  at  Alfred.'  " 

When  the  long  struggle  was  over,  with  all  its  cost  of 
precious  lives.  President  Allen  in  a  touching  and  eloquent  ad- 
dress concerning  those  who  did  not  return,  said  in  closing: 
"This  institution  had  its  representatives,  both  in  teachers  and 
pupils, — yes,  its  children, — engaged  in  nearly  all  campaigns, 
kiuguishing  in  hospitals,  mingling  their  blood  with  that  of 
brother-patriots  upon  nearly  all  battlefields.  We  lament  their 
fall,  yet,  mingled  with  our  sorrow,  is  a  solemn  joy  that  we  can 
act,  and  offer  life,  through  such  noble  representatives,  for 
human  brotherhood,  and  law,  and  government." 

xA-lfred  University  is  particularly  fortunate  in  the  loyalty 
of  her  alumni  and  alumnae,  and  she  is  proud  of  their  work  for 
their  Alma  Alater.  Her  sons  and  daughters  had  long  held 
regular  meetings  at  Commencement  times,  but  did  not  become 
jegularly  organized  until  1886,  at  the  semi-centennial  of  the 
University.  As  now  organized,  this  society  includes  "all  grad- 
uates of  the  University,  all  persons  who  have  received  degrees 
from  it.  members  of  the  faculty,  and  former  students' who 
have  been  in  attendance  for  one  year  or  more."  The  annual 
fee  is  one  dollar. 

The  objects  of  the  society  are  "to  foster  fraternal  inter- 
course and  sympathy,  and  the  interest  of  its  members  in  their 
Alma  IVIater,  as  well  as  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  Univer- 
sity." The  association  is  represented  on  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  University  by  nine  trustees,  three  of  whom  are  elected 
each  year  for  a  term  of  three  years. 

At  its  organization  in  1886,  Judge  S.  O.  Thacher,  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Kansas,  was  chosen  as  its  first  President. 
This  office  has  been  held  for  one  or  more  years  by  Dr.  Daniel 
Lewis,  Health  Commissioner  of  New  York  State ;  Judge  P.  P>. 
]\lcLennan,  of  Syracuse;  Judge  Seymour  Dexter,  of  Elmira ; 
Hon.  W.  W.  Brown,  of  Bradford,  Pa. ;  W.  I.  Lewis,  of  Coud- 
ersport.  Pa. ;  Rev.  L.  E.  Livermore.  of  New  Market,  N.  J. ; 
Hon.  Milo  M.  Acker,  of  Hornellsville;  Hon,  Isaac  B.  Brown, 


5l8  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

of  Harrisburg,  Pa. ;  Hon.  Weston  Flint,  of  Washington,  D.  C. ; 
Hon.  Daniel  Beach,  of  Corning;  Professor  Corliss  F.  Ran- 
dolph, of  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  Superintendent  Henry  M.  Max- 
son,  of  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

When  organized,  the  Alumni  Association  at  once  estab- 
lished an  Alumni  fund  to  be  known  as  the  Kenyon-Allen  En- 
dowment Fund.  This  has  been  constantly  augmenting.  At 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  society,  June  24.  1903,  steps  were 
taken  to  increase  the  fund  to  $20,000 ;  and  at  the  banquet  the 
same  evening  $1,100  were  subscribed,  thus  raising  the  amount 
to  $11,236.00. 

Not  only  by  contributing  to  the  material  efficiency  of  the 
University,  but  also  through  the  use  of  their  influence  in  send- 
ing new  students,  are  the  Alumni  adding  to  the  possibilities 
of  the  usefulness  of  their  Alma  Mater. 

The  grand  work  which  the  students  of  Alfred  University 
are  doing  in  the  world  is  especially  gratifying.  As  they  have 
gone  out  imbued  with  the  high  and  noble  ideals  of  life  incul- 
cated by  their  Alma  Mater,  they  have  been  enabled  to  take 
leading  positions  in  all  the  world's  work.  The  facts  are  brief- 
ly and  modestly  stated  by  Rev.  Dr.  Platts:  "The  graduates 
and  old  students  of  the  University  are  to  be  found  in  every 
State  in  the  Union,  and  some  are  in  foreign  countries.  They 
are  to  be  found  in  all  honorable  callings.  They  are  mem- 
bers of  Legislatures,  State  and  National,  Supreme  Court 
Judges,  lawyers,  ministers,  missionaries  to  foreign  countries, 
physicians,  teachers,  merchants,  farmers,  mechanics,  etc."  And 
in  all  these  fields  of  labor  and  service  for  their  fellow-men, 
they  come  to  the  front  and  make  their  mark. 

No  other,  perhaps,  so  closely  as  Mrs.  Allen  of  blessed 
memory,  followed  the  career  of  each  student  as  he  or  she  went 
forth  from  these  sacred  halls  to  life's  great  work;  they  were 
continually  in  her  mind,  and  she  was  watching  for  accounts  of 
their  doings  and  achievements.  She  wrote :  "Looking  over 
the  catalogue,  'grandly  successful'  instead  of  'failure'  could  be 
written  against  the  names  of  the  greater  number  of  the  gradu- 
ates. Long  lists  of  names  might  be  added  of  those  who  have 
been  and  are  successful  in  the  different  professions  and  busi- 
nesses of  life.  But  not  less  brightly  do  the  helpful  influences 
gained  at  Alfred  still  shine  in  thousands  of  quiet  homes  scat- 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  5I9 

tered  here  and  there  all  over  our  broad  land."  In  all  this  Al- 
fred rejoices,  and  is  made  glad.  No  other  reward  is  half  so 
gratifying  to  faithful,  toiling  teachers. 

(8)       ALFRED    UNIVERSITY   AND   THEOLOGICAL   TRAINING. 

When  President  Allen  and  other  Alfred  young  men  were 
in  school  at  Oberlin  they  were  challenged  to  a  debate  on  the 
Sabbath  question ;  and  one  of  their  opponents,  failing  in  argu- 
ment, resorted  to  ridicule,  twitting  them  for  belonging  to  a 
denomination,  "not  even  able  to  train  its  own  theological  stu- 
dents." There  then  entered  into  the  mind  of-  Mr.  Allen  the 
determination  to  supply  this  lack  in  the  near  future.  This  was 
in  1848. 

Although  Alfred's  special  work  had  been  that  of  training 
teachers  for  the  common  schools,  yet  many  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tists who  felt  the  need  of  establishing  a  theological  department 
began  to  think  of  Alfred  for  this  purpose.  Professors  Ken- 
yon  and  Allen  kept  the  matter  before  the  denomination,  and 
in  1852  an  Educational  Committee  was  appointed  to  consider 
the  subject.  A  constitution  drawn  up  by  this  committee  was 
adopted  in  1854,  and  Professors  Kenyon  and  Allen  were  ap- 
pointed as  agents  to  raise  an  endowment  fund.  They  secured 
$20,000  the  first  year ;  and  in  1855  the  Education  Society  was 
incorporated,  and  Alfred  was  chosen  by  the  churches  as  the 
place  in  which  to  establish  the  theological  department.  Pro- 
fessor Allen  was  elected  to  take  charge  of  this  department. 

Many  young  men  and  women  of  different  denominations 
entered  its  classes,  and  its  students  went  out  in  various  direc- 
tions holding  meetings  as  they  had  time  and  opportunity  ;  and 
many  churches  grew  up  under  their  labors — such  as  East  Heb- 
ron, Oswayo,  Roulet,  Honeyoye,  Branch  of  Scio,  and  Bell's 
Run.  "The  university  became  the  mother  of  evangelistic  work 
in  all  this  section." 

When  in  1857  the  Alfred  Academy  applied  for  both  col- 
lege charter  and  seminary  organization,  by  the  advice  of  the 
State  officials  a  university  charter  was  drawn  up  which  was 
passed  by  the  Legislature,  and  received  the  signature  of  Gov- 
ernor King  March  28,  1857;  so  that  under  its  provisions  acade- 
mic, seminary  and  college  work  could  be  carried  on. 

Hence  it  appears  that  the  university  organization  was  ef- 


520  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

fected  at  the  beginning,  particularly  with  reference  to  the  work 
of  theological  training;  and  from  that  date  Alfred  University 
has  faithfully  endeavored  to  prepare  young  people  by  liberal 
and  technical  training  for  the  Christian  ministry  and  for 
Christian  work. 

Some  of  the  ablest  ministers  of  the  denomination  gave 
many  years  of  faithful  service  in  this  department ;  but  most 
grateful  remembrance  is  due  the  devoted  man  who  \vas  so  long 
at  the  head  of  this  work.  We  quote  with  hearty  approval  the 
words  of  one  who  himself  most  ably  served  in  this  depart- 
ment, the  Rev.  L.  A.  Platts.  D.  D.  He  wrote:  "Dr.  Thomas 
R.  Williams,  who  for  twenty-one  years  devoted  himself  to  the 
building  up  of  the  Theological  Department,  deserves  to  be 
ranked  by  the  side  of  the  noble  Presidents  who  toiled  so  long 
and  sacrificed  so  freely  for  the  interests  of  the  University." 
Among  many  able  and  devoted  men  who  seconded  his  labors, 
he  stands  as  chief ;  and  his  faithful  work  will  never  be  forgot- 
ten. 

At  the  Conference  in  Norton ville,  Kansas,  in  1892.  special 
action  was  taken  by  the  Education  Society  looking  toward  "in- 
creasing the  teaching  force  of  the  Theological  Department  of 
Alfred  University."  It  was  announced  that  the  income  of  the 
department  was  about  $900  a  year,  and  that  $1,500  a  year  more 
would  be  required  to  support  three  resident  professors. 

To  "give  the  undertaking  a  fair  trial,"  $1,500  a  year  for 
six  years  was  pledged  by  George  H.  Babcock,  Charles  Potter. 
Nathan  Wardner  and  others. 

Through  all  the  years  referred  to  above,  the  theological 
work  w-as  carried  on  simply  as  a  department  of  the  university. 
After  the  six  years  mentioned  there  came  a  period  of  decline 
and  falling  off  of  students,  so  that  many  friends  of  the  work 
began  to  feel  that  there  was  need  of  a  reorganization  of  this 
department  along  somewhat  different  lines. 

In  1900,  at  the  Conference  in  Adams  Centre,  N.  Y.,  this 
feeling  took  form  in  a  resolution,  adopted  by  a  rising  vote,  that 
steps  and  subscriptions  be  taken  for  the  "strengthening  of  the 
Theological  Department  of  Alfred  University." 

At  the  Conference  in  Alfred  in  1901,  after  several  ad- 
dresses on  this  subject,  an  appeal  was  made  for  funds  for  the 
present  support  of  three  professors,  and  for  the  permanent  en- 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  521 

dowment  of  a  Theological  Seminary.  More  than  $10,000  were 
subscribed  at  the  time,  and  this  amount  has  since  been  in- 
creased. 

In  response  to  the  action  of  the  denomination,  through 
its  General  Conference,  the  Trustees  of  Alfred  University  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  reorganize  the  department  as  a  separate  in- 
stitution to  be  known  as  the  "Alfred  Theological  Seminary," 
for  whose  use  they  designated  the  building  known  as  "The 
Gothic ;"  and  fitted  it  up  for  the  purpose. 

The  seminary  opened  up  with  the  school  year  of  1901-2, 
with  Rev.  A.  E.  Main  as  Dean,  and  Professor  of  Doctrinal 
and  Pastoral  Theology ;  Rev.  William  C.  Whitford  as  Secre- 
tary, and  Professor  of  Biblical  Languages  and  Literature ; 
Rev.  J.  L.  Gamble,  Professor  of  Church  History  and  Homi- 
letics ;  Rev.  L.  C.  Randolph,  Instructor  in  the  Principles  of 
Evangelism  and  Personal  Christian  Work ;  Miss  Sophie  S. 
Reynolds,  Instructor  in  Elocution ;  Miss  Ethel  A.  Middaugh, 
Instructor  in  Sacred  Music, 

The  present  endowment  of  the  seminary  is  $35,232.76, 
furnishing  an  income  in  1901-2  of  $2,304.36.  In  addition  to 
this,  by  the  generosity  of  Mr.  George  H.  Babcock,  many  sem- 
mary  students  enjoy  the  benefit,  in  part,  of  the  income  of  a 
fund  of  $10,000  bequeathed  for  "the  purpose  of  aiding  young 
people  (male  or  female)  in  preparing  for  the  gospel  ministry 
in  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  denomination." 

(9)     Alfred's  work  in  training  teachers. 

While  preparing  many  young  men  and  women  to  enter 
with  advanced  standing  in  other  colleges,  her  special  work 
through  all  the  earlier  years  was  the  froiiiiug  of  teachers  for 
the  common  schools,  for  which  she  sent  out  each  year  more 
than  one  hundred  well-fitted  young  people ;  and  the  State  re- 
ports gave  her  the  credit  of  sending  out  more  and  a  higher 
grade  of  teachers  than  any  other  similar  institution  in  the  State. 

The  estnnate  which  the  Regents  of  the  University  of  the 
State  put  uix)n  the  school  is  shown  in  a  letter  of  introduction 
they  gave  President  Kenyon  when  he  went  abroad  in  1866: 
"The  Rev.  William  C.  Kenyon,  M.  A.,  has  for  many  years  been 
President  of  one  of  the  largest  and  most  successful  Universities 
under  the  visitation  of  the  Regents  of  the  University  of  New 
York ;  and  he  is  hereby  cordially  commended  to  the  friends  of 


522  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

education  whom  he  may  meet,  as  a  scholar  and  a  Christian  gen- 
tleman, in  every  respect  worthy  of  their  confidence  and  kind 
regard. 

By  order  of  the  Chancellor, 
S.  B.  WooLWORTH,  Sec." 

In  the  fall  of  1841  Professor  Kenyon  was  appointed  su- 
perintendent of  common  schools  for  the  County  of  Allegheny, 
and  Rev.  James  R.  Irish  for  the  time  took  his  place  in  the 
Academy.  Professor  Kenyon  spent  the  winter  and  part  of  the 
summer  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  visiting  and  talking  to 
the  schools  in  the  daytime,  and  addressing  the  patrons  in  the 
evenings.  Thus  he  awakened  great  interest  wherever  he  went. 
One  teacher  writes :  "The  great  event  of  the  winter,  to  many 
of  us  teachers,  was  his  visit,  with  its  stir  and  rush  and  enthu- 
siasm." The  result  was  that  many  teachers  followed  him  to 
Alfred  the  next  fall,  giving  the  school  an  upward  bound ;  and 
Alfred  became  noted  as  a  training  school  for  teachers. 

In  1843-4  the  Trustees  reported  to  the  Regents :  "The 
Trustees  would  remark  that  nearly  the  entire  business  of  the 
Academy  under  their  charge  is  to  qualify  teachers  for  the  com- 
mon schools.  Between  fifty  and  sixty  scholars  who  attended 
the  last  fall  term  are  known  to  be  engaged  in  teaching,  and 
some  of  them  at  least  with  a  degree  of  success  that  does  honor 
to  themselves  and  to  the  cause  in  which  they  are  engaged.  In 
all  the  branches  taught,  constant  reference  has  been  had  to  the 
future  employment  of  the  students  as  teachers."  The  whole 
report  does  honor  to  the  spirit  and  purpose  of  the  school,  and 
shows  that  it  was  ever  the  aim,  not  only  to  teach  the  various 
branches  of  learning,  but  to  teach  the  art  of  teaching. 

So  that,  while  not  a  normal  school  in  name,  it  was  doing 
normal  work ;  and  although  the  scope  and  work  in  recent  years 
have  greatly  broadened,  sending  out  young  people  with  full 
collegiate  culture  and  the  most  thorough  preparation  for  all 
professions  and  callings  in  life,  yet  this  important  and  dis- 
tinctive feature  of  the  earlier  school  has  not  been  forgotten 
nor  lost,  but  has  rather  been  cultivated  and  placed  upon  a  still 
higher  and  more  efficient  basis;' so  that  Alfred  University  still 
has,  in  its  "Training  Class,"  a  department  devoted  most  ef- 
ficiently to  the  great  work  of  training  young  people  for  the 
most    noble    profession     of    teaching;    and,    for    this    work, 


x\LFRED    UNIVERSITY.     .  523 

still  enjoys  the  high  commendation  of  the  Board  of  Regents. 
(10)     Alfred's  broad  scholarship. 

The  character  of  the  culture  which  Alfred  offers  is  mani- 
fest in  its  complete  courses  of  study  as  laid  down  in  its  cur- 
riculum, and  in  the  thoroughness  of  its  training  for  life's  work. 

When  a  young  man  in  Union  College,  Professor  Kenyon 
wrote  these  significant  words  in  his  diary :  "It  is  worthy  of  a 
true  and  noble  ambition  to  build  seminaries  and  colleges,  and 
to  till  them  with  young  men  and  women  who,  properly  trained, 
might  go  forth  to  exert  an  influence  as  lasting  as  time."  Here 
we  find  the  secret  to  the  inspiration  that  founded  Alfred  Uni- 
versity, and  gave  it  an  impetus  which  has  been  augmented  with 
the  passing  years. 

Among  the  high  principles  that  have  always  characterized 
Alfred  University,  two  may  be  emphasized  here :  iirst,  it  has 
constantly  and  strenuously  sought  the  elevation  of  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  surrounding  counties ;  and,  second,  it  has 
always  opposed  all  superficiality  in  school  training,  and  stood 
for  the  broadest  culture  and  the  most  thorough  preparation  for 
life's  work.  The  work  of  the  class  room  has  been  thorough; 
and  for  many  years  the  examinations  were  public,  so  that  every 
pupil  and  every  teacher  also  was  "put  upon  his  mettle."  Presi- 
dent Allen  wrote  of  this  time:  "It  was  the  aim  to  make  stu- 
dents that  could  think  accurately  and  speak  promptly  upon 
their  feet.  One  class  being  examined  at  a  time,  the  examina- 
tion created  a  good  deal  of  interest,  and  was  listened  to  by 
crowded  houses  of  citizens,  visitors,  and  students.  This 
tribunal  was  the  same  in  kind  and  quality  as  all  after  life's 
tribunals,  with  like  attributes  in  its  decisions."  And  the  suc- 
cess that  has  attended  Alfred's  graduates  is  the  result  and  the 
vmdication  of  the  thoroughness  and  breadth  of  the  training  re- 
ceived here. 

In  a  letter  to  Mr.  A.  C.  Spicer,  dated  February  19,  1849, 
President  Kenyon  wrote :  "The  more  one  sees  of  this  world, 
the  more  intimate  he  becomes  with  the  course  of  studies  mark- 
ed out,  the  more  clearly  will  he  see  that  the  demands  of  the  age 
will  require  at  his  hands  all  of  the  discipline  and  strength  of 
mind  that  his  full  course  of  studies  can  give.  Let  no  one  who 
hopes  to  be  a  light  in  the  world  be  induced  to  cut  short  his 
course,  but  let  his  preparation  be  as  complete  as  his  circum- 


524  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Stances  will  permit.  Let  him  stop  nothing  short  of  a  full 
course  well-mastered."  These  words  have  a  true  ring,  and 
express  the  sentiments  of  Alfred  to-day. 

In  a  circular  sent  out  in  1845-6  by  Principals  Kenyon  and 
Sayles  we  find  some  nuggets  of  gold  expressing  their  distaste 
for  all  superficiality  in  school  training,  resulting  from  whatever 
cause.  "There  is  nothing  like  thoroughness  in  the  primary 
branches  or  any  other  branch,  not  only  in  the  common  schools, 
but  in  higher  institutions  as  well."  Speaking  of  the  imperfect 
methods  of  the  common  schools  of  that  time,  they  say:  "How 
can  spirits,  trained  from  infancy  in  this  superficial  manner, 
be  chained  down  to  the  drudgery  of  careful  investigation?" 
Referring  to  a  false  basis  of  estimating  an  education,  they 
write:  "Here,  too,  that  indomitable  lust  of  gain  plays  a  con- 
spicuous part  in  producing  this  contemptible  superficiality  ;  for 
neither  the  parent  nor,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  child,  nor  even 
young  men  and  women,  think  any  other  questions  of  import- 
ance than,  first,  how  many  dollars  will  any  particular  branch 
cost  me?  In  other  words,  how  shall  I  estimate  in  dollars  and 
cents  the  net  value?  Again,  for  we  are  always  eager  to  begin 
the  golden  harvest,  how  soon  can  I  finish  a  prescribed  course  ? 
How  little  of  it  need  I  acquire?  Mark,  the  question  is  not, 
how  long  can  I  with  advantage  to  mental  development,  dwell 
upon  this  point  or  that?" 

These  words  express  the  feeling  of  Alfred  University  to- 
day, and  they  need  to  be  quoted  because  the  condition  of 
thought  referred  to  has  by  no  means  ceased  to  exist. 

As  indicating  the  desire  and  efifort  to  raise  the  standard  of 
teaching  in  the  common  schools,  this  circular  of  the  Alfred 
Academy  of  that  year  exclaims,  "God  speed  the  day  when  the 
common  schools  shall  aspire  to  be  what  the  higher  schools 
now  are,  and  really  be  such ;  and  when  the  higher  schools  shall 
rise  as  much  superior  to  their  present  state,  as  they  are  now 
above  the  humblest  of  the  common  schools." 

This  sentiment  has  proved  prophetic  of  what  has  come  to 
pass,  and  of  what  Alfred  has  greatly  aided  in  securing.  Thus 
Alfred  University  has  stood,  and  still  stands,  for  broadest  cuj- 
ture  and  most  thorough  training  for  life's  great  work. 
(11)     Alfred's  service  to  the  denomination. 

The  service  which  Alfred  University  has  rendered  to  the 


ALFRED    UNIVERSITY.  525 

denomination  under  whose  auspices  it  was  founded,  forms  a 
chapter  in  its  history  too  well  known  and  appreciated  to  re- 
quire any  lengthy  treatment.  While  it  is  the  child  of  the  earlier 
denomination,  it  is  also  in  an  important  sense  the  mother  of  the 
denomination  as  it  is  to-day.  This  is  true  of  her  relation  to 
the  other  colleges,  to  the  pastors  and  churches,  to  the  various 
societies,  and  to  the  active  workers  of  the  denomination. 

The  hand  that  planted  the  seeds  of  an  educational  institu- 
tion in  Alfred  in  1836,  in  1844  sowed  the  seeds  of  a  similar 
mstitution  in  Milton,  Wisconsin ;  and  not  a  few  of  the  efficient 
workers  and  supporters  of  Milton  College  have,  at  some  time 
in  their  previous  career,  been  identified  with  Alfred  either  as 
teachers  or  students.  And  the  honorable  career  which  Salem 
College,  in  West  Virginia,  is  making  in  pioneer  education,  is 
accomplished  through  the  learning,  skill  and  consecration  of 
sons  and  daughters  of  Alfred.  With  a  single  exception,  its 
entire  faculty  are  alumni  of  Alfred.  In  the  good  work  of  these 
colleges  Alfred  takes  especial  pride. 

Of  the  fifty-four  active  pastors  in  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
denomination  at  this  time,  forty  have  studied  in  Alfred  Uni- 
versity ;  and  of  the  ten  workers  on  the  China  mission  field  with- 
in the  past  quarter  of  a  century,  all  save  one  are  alumni  of  Al- 
fred. 

The  President,  Corresponding  Secretary  and  Treasurer 
of  the  ^Missionary  Society,  as  well  as  many  of  its  Directors, 
were  students  here.  A  majority  of  the  officers  and  directors 
of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  are  identified  with  A\- 
fred  as  alumni  or  officers.  The  same  is  true  of  the  Education 
Society ;  and  indeed  of  the  officers  of  the  Historical  Conference 
in  1902,  beginning  with  its  honored  President. 

This  enumeration  might  be  continued  at  length,  and  Al- 
fred will  be  found  to  be  in  a  unique  sense  the  "Alma  Mater," 
or  fostering  mother,  of  the  majority  of  the  leading  workers 
in  the  denomination  in  every  organized  movement,  and  in  al- 
most every  church  and  community. 

Thus  the  noble  Alma  IMater,  founded  by  Church  and  Irish 
c-nd  Kenyon  and  Allen,  and  fostered  by  the  jirayers  and  gifts 
and  sacrifies  of  many,  has  been  indeed  a  mother  to  the  denomi- 
nation as  it  is  to-day,  as  well  as  a  blessing  to  the  State  and  the 
Nation ;  and  her  influence  in  a  thousand  directions,  alwavs  be- 


526  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

nign,  is  beyond  all  calculation,  and  beyond  all  praise.  Tbus  it 
has  been  from  the  beginning  to  the  present  hour. 

It  may  be  asked,  "Is  there  a  full  recognition  -by  every  per- 
son of  the  real  value  of  the  college  ?"  Its  worth  is  realized 
by  many,  and  especially  by  Seventh-day  Baptists ;  but  a  quota- 
tion on  this  subject  from  President  Kenyon  may  help  to  in- 
tensify our  appreciation  of  the  true  value  of  the  college  to  any 
denomination  and  to  any  land.  "Well  has  it  been  said  that, 
'the  college  is  the  daughter  of  the  church.'  Noble  daughter 
of  a  noble  mother !  Did  our  Puritan  ancestors  commence  the 
development  of  civil,  political,  and  religious  institutions  that 
are  the  admiration  of  the  world?  But  for  colleges,  there  had 
been  no  Puritan  ancestors,  no  Puritan  Reformation,  no  Dis- 
senters, no  British  or  American  missionary  societies,  home  or 
foreign ;  no  Temperance  or  Anti-Slavery  societies.  But  for 
colleges,  there  had  been  no  English  literature,  no  translation 
of  the  Bible,  no  publishing  societies,  nor  societies  scattering 
the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  But 
tor  colleges,  there  had  been  no  system  of  universal  education, 
no  common  schools,  no  libraries.  But  for  colleges,  there  had 
been  no  Declaration  of  Independence,  no  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  no  democratic  government.  But  for  colleges, 
there  had  been  no  steamboats,  no  railroads,  no  telegraphs,  no 
Daguerrean  art,  no  agricultural  chemistry,  no  calico  printing, 
no  geological  surveys,  no  commercial  defences.  But  for  col- 
leges, America  would  be  what  Africa  is,  and  Europe  and  the 
British  Isles  would  be  what  Asia  is." 

Who  can  gainsay  these  remarkable  statements,  or  read 
them  without  putting  a  higher  estimate  upon  our  colleges? 

(12)       WHAT  OF  THE  FUTURE  OF  ALFRED  UNIVERSITY? 

The  past  is  secure,  but  what  as  to  the  future?  What 
friend  of  colleges  in  general,  or  what  lover  of  Alfred  Univer- 
sity in  particular  has  not  asked  himself  some  such  question? 
We  believe  the  past  gives  assurance  as  to  the  years  to  come, 
and  we  have  no  other  than  words  of  hope  to  utter.  The  an- 
swer is  largely  with  the  friends  of  education ;  but  the  ex- 
perience of  the  sixty-seven  years  gone  by,  the  well-known  loy- 
alty of  alumni  and  friends,  and  the  high  character  and  aims 
of  the  University  inspire  the  utmost  confidence  for  all  time  to 
come. 


ALFRED    UNWERSITY.  52/ 

We  fully  believe  in  the  sentiments  uttered  by  President 
Allen  at  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  Alfred  University,  and 
here  quote  from  his  address,  for  the  encouragement  of  all 
friends  of  the  institution :  "Although  about  to  enter  upon  its 
second  half-century,  Alfred  is  but  in  its  early  youth.  Colleges 
leckon  their  growth,  not  by  years,  but  by  centuries.  Such  in- 
stitutions as  Harvard,  Yale,  and  Princeton,  though  in  the  sec- 
ond or  third  centuries  of  their  growth,  are  only  getting  into 
the  vigor  of  early  manhood.  Never  more  growing,  more  vig- 
orous, more  full  of  enterprise  and  achievement  than  now. 
Families  rise  and  disappear,  dynasties  change,  sects,  denomi- 
nations have  their  day  and  become  changed  in  faith  and  prac- 
tice ;  but  colleges  live  and  grow  on,  gathering  strength,  value, 
beauty  each  age;  grandeur  and  power  each  century.  Man  is 
like  a  drop  of  dew,  disappearing  with  the  morning.  Colleges 
are  like  the  united  drops  of  many  a  rain,  that,  swelling  into 
great  rivers,  become  ministries  to  man,  bearers  of  civilization 
and  progress.  They  have  been  this  in  the  past;  they  will  be 
this,  we  trust,  in  the  future." 

In  his  address  on  "The  People's  Debt  to  Colleges,"  deliv- 
ered before  the  New  England  Association  of  Alfred  Students, 
August  24,  1886,  he  spoke  more  particularly  with  reference  to 
Alfred  University.  We  quote  his  closing  words :  "Alfred, 
starting  as  a  little  taper  set  in  an  upper  window,  becoming 
soon  a  candle,  lighting  in  its  small  way  the  path  of  many  an 
earnest  pilgrim  to  its  shrine  of  knowledge,  thence  developed 
gradually  into  a  candelabrum,  many  lighted.  As  it  has  been 
the  solicitude  and  care-encumbered  effort  of  its  founders  and 
supporters,  so  let  it  continue  to  be  ours  to  keep  these  lights 
trimmed  and  supplied  with  oil  and  brightly  burning,  as  untir- 
ingly and  as  religiously  as  were  those  sacred  lamps  in  the  gol- 
den candlestick  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  We  need  have  no 
fear  that  the  time  will  come  when  our  Alma  Mater,  whose 
memory  and  interests  we  have  this  evening  gathered  to  cherish, 
v.ill  be  less  an  object  of  affection  and  care  to  our  children's 
children  to  her  thousanflth  birthday  and  onward,  than  she  is 
this  evening  to  us.  Let  us  therefore  continue  to  multiply  and 
brighten  her  lights,  in  the  full  assurance  that,  when  we  have 
clone  what  we  can.  coming  generations  will  take  up  and  aug- 
ment the  good  work." 


528  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS  : 

Such  faith,  and  the  observance  of  these  counsels,  will 
make  assured  the  hopeful  prophecy  of  this  optimistic  address. 
And  if  it  be  true  that  "Colleges  are  the  topmost  blossoms  and 
fruitage  of  civilization,"  then  we  need  have  no  fear  as  to  the 
future  of  Alfred  University. 


The  writer  would  acknowledge  the  following  sources  of 
information  for  the  facts  above  stated  : 

"Life  and  Sermons  of  Jonathan  Allen,  Ph.  D.,  D.  D., 
LL.  D." 

Sketch  of  Alfred  University,  by  Rev.  L.  A.  Platts,  D.  D., 
in  the  "Centennial  Memorial  History  of  Allegheny  Co.,  N.  Y." 

Decennial  Catalogue  of  Alfred  University. 

Current  Catalogues  of  Alfred  University. 

Year  Book  of  Alfred  University  for  1901-2. 

Files  of  The  Alfred  Student  from  1875  to  1879. 

Files  of  The  Sabbath  Recorder  for  1852,  1854,  1866, 
1868,  and  1881. 


(33) 


REV.  EDWIN  SHAW. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,  p. 


I36K 


HISTORY  OF  MILTON  COLLEGE. 


Professor  Edwin  Shaw. 


ORIGIN. 

Milton  College  had  its  origin  in  a  select  school  which  was 
started  in  the  village  of  Milton,  Wis.,  early  in  December,  1844, 
and  was  called  the  Milton  Academy.  It  continued  as  such, 
without  any  legal  organization,  until  February,  1848,  when  it 
was  incorporated  as  the  DuLac  Academy  by  the  Legislature 
of  the  Wisconsin  Territory.  In  the  spring  of  1855  the  school 
was  reorganized  under  the  title  of  the  Milton  Academy,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  provisions  of  a  charter  which  the  State  had 
granted  the  previous  year.  Under  this  charter  the  school 
was  in  operation  twelve  years,  when  because  of  the  large  num- 
ber and  the  advanced  standing  of  its  students  the  institution 
felt  justified  in  establishing  a  full  college  course  of  studies  and 
in  asking  the  State  Legislature  for  a  college  charter.  An  act 
of  incorporation  was  passed  in  February,  1867,  granting  the 
privileges  of  "affording  instruction  in  literature,  the  sciences, 
and  the  arts,  in  the  theory  and  practice  of  the  elementary 
branches  of  study,  and  in  any  or  all  the  liberal  professions,  in 
such  manner,  and  at  such  times  as  the  IJoard  oi  Trustees  may 
deem  practicable  and  desirable,"  and  of  "conferring  on  those 
whom  they  may  deem  worthy,  all  such  honors  and  degrees  as 
are  usually  conferred  in  like  institutic^ns."     This  charter  was 


530  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

accepted  ]\Iarch  13,  1867,  and  the  school  assumed  thereby  the 
name  and  the  prerogatives  of  a  college. 

FOUNDER. 

To  the  Hon.  Joseph  Goodrich  belongs  the  honor  of  es- 
tablishing the  school  which  later  developed  into  Milton  Col- 
lege. It  was  he  who  six  years  before  selected  the  site  for  the 
village  of  Milton  and  built  the  first  house.  It  was  he  who  plan- 
ned and  had  erected  the  edifice  first  used  for  the  academy,  and 
paid  the  cost  of  construction,  about  $300.00.  It  was  he  who 
for  the  first  three  years  had  the  sole  management  of  the  school, 
&nd  who  paid  all  the  losses  for  the  teacher's  salary  and  the  in- 
cidental expenses ;  and  for  many  years  after  the  incorporation 
under  territory  and  state  law  he  was  a  loyal  friend  and  a  gen- 
erous supporter  of  the  institution.  One  of  the  buildings,  the 
Ladies'  Hall,  bears  his  name,  the  building  of  which  was,  in 
large  measure,  due  to  his  energy  and  beneficence. 

EARLY   YEARS. 

The  building  occupied  by  the  school  during  the  first  ten 
years  of  its  existence  was  located  near  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  public  park.  It  was  in  size  twenty  by  thirty  feet  and  one 
story  high;  a  small  "lean-to"  was  attached  to  the  rear  end;  a 
cupola,  with  four  spires  and  a  bell  mounted  in  it,  graced  the 
front  peak  of  the  gambrel-roof ;  and  a  huge  sign,  painted  "Mil- 
ton Academy,"  stretched  the  full  extent  of  the  building  over  the 
front  entrance. 

There  was  at  this  time  no  institution  of  learning  with  the 
rank  of  a  college  in  Wisconsin.  Four  feeble  academies  had 
been  started  in  the  southern  portion,  Southport  Academy,  now 
extinct,  at  Kenosha ;  Prairieville  Academy,  at  Waukesha,  af- 
terwards merged  into  Carroll  College ;  Beloit  Seminary,  later 
absorbed  into  Beloit  College ;  and  Plattville  Academy,  changed 
in  the  early  70's  into  a  State  Normal  School.  There  were  no 
graded  schools.  Meager  instruction  in  the  elementary  branches 
was  imparted  in  a  very  few  common  schools,  held  usually  three 
months  during  the  year  and  in  small  private  houses. 

The  institution  was  originated  with  no  other  purpose  than 
to  accommodate  the  young  people  of  the  immediate  vicinity. 
There  was  no  expectation  that  it  would  ever  become  a  first- 
class  academv  or  a  college,  vet  the- first  vear  there  were  over 


MILTOX  ACA1)I-:M\-.  ,\IU)L'T   1S44. 


MILTON    COLLEGE.  53  I 

sixty  students  in  attendance,  which  indicated  that  a  school  of 
this  grade  was  needed,  and  a  sentiment  in  favor  of  sustaining 
it  was  created.  During  the  first  few  years  the  average  at- 
tendance was  about  seventy.  The  teacher  the  first  year  was 
the  Rev.  Bethuel  C.  Church,  who  came  from  Michigan.  The 
next  teacher  was  a  Congregational  clergyman,  a  graduate  of 
Dartmouth  College,  a  thorough  scholar,  the  Rev.  S.  S.  Bick- 
nell.  He  had  charge  of  the  academy  for  two  and  a  half  years, 
until  it  was  incorporated  as  the  DuLac  Academy.  In  the  fall 
after  the  charter  was  obtained  a  Mr.  Prindle,  a  graduate  of 
some  eastern  college,  was  engaged  as  principal,  but  after  one 
term  he  was  relieved  by  Professor  J.  Allen,  for  many  years  the 
President  of  Alfred  University.  He  was  assisted  by  'the  Rev. 
A.  W.  Coon,  who  became  the  principal  the  following  spring, 
1849.  Professor  Coon  had  prepared  himself  for  his  work  at 
Alfred  Academy.  He  had  charge  of  the  school  two  years. 
and  was  assisted  one  year  by  Professor  P.  P.  Livermore,  from 
Alfred,  and  the  winter  of  1850-51  by  W.  C.  Whitford,  then  a 
Senior  in  Union  College.  N.  Y.  During  these  years  the  at- 
tendance increased  to  over  one  hundred.  Colonel  George  R. 
Clarke  was  at  the  head  of  the  academy  the  spring  of  185 1. 
For  the  next  seven  years  Professor  A.  C.  Spicer  and  his  wife. 
Mrs.  Susanna  M.  Spicer,  were  in  charge.  During  the  first 
three  years  of  their  administration  the  school  had  a  varying 
success.  The  building  became  untenable  and  classes  met  in 
a  private  house,  and  a  part  of  the  year  1853  were  entirely  sus- 
pended. A  new  interest,  however,  was  now  awakened,  the 
attendance  increased,  the  school  was  reorganized  as  the  Milton 
Academy,  and  a  brick  building  forty  by  forty-four  feet  in  size 
and  three  stories  high  was  completed  in  1855  at  a  cost  of  over 
five  thousand  dollars,  met  mainly  by  subscriptions  of  the  stocks 
holders  of  the  academy.  The  History  of  Rock  County,  pub- 
lished at  this  time,  states  that  "the  academy  was  second  to  none 
in  the  State."  Goodrich  Hall,  already  referred  to,  was  built 
two  years  later,  in  1857,  at  a  cost  of  over  $5,000.00.  The 
course  of  study  was  enlarged  and  more  teachers  were  em- 
ployed, among  whom  for  various  periods  were  Albert  Whit- 
ford and  Professor  M.  Montague.  The  attendance  in  1856 
reached  two  hundred  and  twelve,  and  a  class  of  three  was  grad- 
uated in  the  teachers'  course,  Susan  E.  Burdick,  Chloe  Curtis, 


532  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

and  Ruth  A.  Graham.  These  were  the  first  graduates  of 
the  institution.  At  the  close  of  the  spring  term,  1858,  Pro- 
fessor Spicer  and  his  wife  resigned  their  positions  in  the  acade- 
my. During  their  administration  the  school  had  doubled  its 
attendance,  two  substantial  buildings  had  been  erected,  two 
permanent  literary  societies  had  been  formed,  and  a  start  for 
a  Christian  Association  had  been  made,  while  Professor  Spicer 
had  also  filled  honorable  positions  among  the  educators  of  the 
State. 

WILLIAM    CLARKE   WHITFORD. 

After  several  efforts  were  made  to  secure  a  successor  to 
Professor  Spicer  as  principal  of  the  school,  the  Trustees  pre- 
vailed upon  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Whitford,  then  the  pastor  of  the 
Milton  Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  to  assume  the  charge  dur- 
ing the  following  fall  term.  Afterwards  he  consented  to  re- 
main in  the  same  position  the  balance  of  the  year.  He  then 
resigned  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church  and  became  perma- 
nently connected  with  the  school  as  the  principal.  He  had 
fitted  himself  for  college  at  DeRuyter  Institute;  graduated  at 
Union  College  in  1853  ;  and  completed  the  full  course  of  studies 
at  Union  Theological  Seminary.  New  York  City,  in  1856.  From 
that  time  on  till  his  death  on  May  20,  1902,  a  period  of  forty- 
four  years,  he  was  the  President  of  the  academy  and  of  the  col- 
lege, and  the  history  of  the  school  for  this  almost  a  half  century 
is  in  reality  a  part  of  his  biography ;  a  part,  because  his  life  was 
even  more  extended  than  that  of  the  school,  for  he  was  one 
year  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin  Legislature,  for  four  years 
the  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  and  for  nine  years  a 
member  of  the  State  Board  of  Regents  of  the  Normal  Schools. 
Then  he  was  often  invited  to  deliver  lectures  and  addresses 
wholly  outside  of  the  work  of  the  school.  He  wrote  many 
articles  for  newspapers  and  magazines,  and  was  an  influential 
force  in  all  the  departments  of  the  Seventh-day  Baptist  de- 
nomination. During  the  first  year  in  which  he  had  charge  of 
the  school  he  had  associated  with  him  Professor  Albert  Whit- 
ford, Mrs.  Chloe  C.  Whitford,  Mr.  S.  S.  Rockwood,  Mrs. 
Flora  H.  Rockwood,  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Clarke,  a  music  teacher. 

ACADEMY    FACULTY. 

During  the  following  eight  years,  until  1867,  when  the 
academy  became  a  college,  the  names  of  these  persons  appear 


R1-:V.   WIIJ.IA.M    CLARK  !■:   WIIITFORD,   U.   U. 
See    Bioiirafliii-al    Sketches,    p.   1361. 


MILTON   COLLEGE.  533 

on  the  Faculty  list  for  one  or  more  years :  W.  C.  Whitford, 
President;  Albert  Whitford,  Latin  Language;  George  M. 
Guernsey,  Mathematics ;  S.  S.  Rockwood,  Mathematics  and 
Commercial  Instruction ;  Edwin  R.  Beckley,  Drawing  and  Oil 
Painting ;  S.  S.  Wallihan,  English  and  Penmanship ;  Mrs. 
Chloe  C.  Whitford,  German  and  English ;  Mrs.  Flora  A.  Rock- 
wood,  History  and  French ;  Ida  F.  Sallan,  German  and  Music ; 
A.  H.  Lewis,  Normal  Department;  O.  U.  Whitford,  Classical 
Languages ;  Mrs.  Ruth  H.  Whitford,  Preceptress  and  Orna- 
mental Branches ;  Mrs.  Matilda  L.  Whitaker,  English ;  Emily 
C.  W'yman,  Experimental  Class ;  O.  M.  Conover,  Latin  and 
Mathematics ;  Nathan  C.  Twining,  Mathematics ;  L.  A.  Platts, 
Vocal  Music  and  Penmanship ;  Frances  T.  Pillsbury,  German 
and  Instrumental  Alusic ;  Almina  L.  Emerson,  French  ;  Edward 
Searing,  Latin  and  French ;  Eliza  Sanders,  English  ;  Alicia  F. 
Wells,  Instrumental  IMusic ;  A.  Miranda  Fenner,  English ; 
Mary  F.  Bailey,  German. 

COLLEGE   FACULTY. 

The  college  Faculty  for  the  first  year,  1867,  was  as  fol- 
lows : 

William  C.  Whitford,  President,  Professor  of  Mental, 
Moral,  and  Natural  Sciences. 

Edward  Searing,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Latin  and  French 
Languages. 

Albert  Whitford.  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Greek  Language 
and  of  Mixed  Mathematics. 

Nathan  C.  Twining,  A.  B.,  Professor  of  Pure  Mathemat- 
ics and  of  Commercial  Instruction. 

Mrs.  A.  Miranda  Fenner,  Preceptress,  English  Language 
and  Literature. 

Miss  Mary  F.  Bailey,  German  Language. 

Mrs.  Emma  J.  Utter,  Instrumental  and  \^ocal  Music. 
■  Forrest  M.  Babcock,  Penmanship. 

Mrs.  Ruth  H.  Whitford,  Painting  and  Penciling. 

Professor  Albert  Whitford  has  remained  on  the  Faculty 
until  the  present  time,  with  the  exception  of  four  years  as  Pro- 
fessor of  Mathematics  at  Alfred  University  (1868-72). 

Mrs.  Ruth  AMiitford  was  not  employed  continuously,  her 
name  appearing  on  the  list  for  the  last  time  in  1894  as  teacher 
of  English. 


534  SEVExNTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Edward  Searing,  with  the  exception  of  four  years  begin- 
ning with  1873,  when  he  was  Superintendent  of  the  PubHc 
Schools  of  Wisconsin,  held  a  place  on  the  Faculty  till  the  close 
of  the  school  year  1880. 

Nathan  C.  Twining  closed  his  connection  with  the  schooj 
as  a  teacher  in  1868,  INIiss  Fenner  in  1869,  Aliss  Bailey  in  1873, 
Mrs.  Utter  in  1871,  and  Mr.  Babcock  in  1868. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams  served  as  Acting  President 
three  years,  from  the  fall  of  1880  till  the  close  of  the  spring 
term,  1882,  Professor  Albert  Whitford  having  been  the  Acting 
President  the  two  preceding  years. 

W.  Frank  Place  was  Professor  of  Latin,  Chemistry  and 
Physics  from   1S79  till   1890. 

Mrs.  Chloe  Whitford,  who  had  taught  in  the  academy, 
became  a  member  of  the  college  Faculty  in  1874,  and  was  a 
teacher  of  German  and  Mathematics  most  of  the  time  until  her 
death  in  1888. 

Of  the  present  Faculty,  besides  Professor  Albert  Whit- 
ford, who  has  been  in  almost  constant  service  since  1872, 
Jairus  M.  Stillman  has  been  Professor  of  Music,  with  two  or 
three  vacations,  since  1871  ;  Walter  D.  Thomas,  Professor  of 
(jreek  since  1884 ;  Edwin  Shaw,  Professor  of  Latin  and  of 
Chemistry  since  1890 ;  Ludwig  Kumlien,  Professor  of  Natu- 
ral History  since  1891  ;  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  Professor  of 
Bible  Study  in  English  since  1898 ;  Mrs.  EmilV  A.  Platts,  In- 
structor in  French  since  1898;  Mrs.  Anna  S.  Crandall,  In- 
structor in  German  since  1900 ;  Alfred  E.  Whitford,  Profes- 
sor of  Physics  since  1900;  Miss  Susie  B.  Davis,  Instructor  in 
English  and  Latin  since  the  autumn  of  1902;  and  Rev.  William 
C.  Daland,  President  and  Professor  of  Philosophy.  English. 
History  and  Civics,  since  June,  1902. 

Besides  the  members  of  the  Faculty  previously  mentioned, 
the  following  have  also  served,  some  of  them  for  several  years : 

Jonathan  D.  Bond 1868-1872 

Sheppard  S.  Rockwood 1869-1871 

Mrs.  Jane  Bond  Morton 1869-1888 

Miss  Ida  Springstubbe 1869 

Lucius    Heritage    1872-1875 

L.  Dow  Harvey 1872 


o 


MILTON   COLLEGE. 


535 


Miss  ^lary  Elclred 

Miss  Minta  Howard 1872- 

E.  D.  Squires 

T.  W.  Saunders 1873- 

Fred  C.  Dunn 

W.  C.  King- 1874  and 

Eugene  R.  McCracken 

O.  Eugene  Larkin 1875- 

George  F.  Tuttle 

]\Iary  Havens  Irish 1876- 

James  Mills T-^77- 

Rev.  Elston   M.  Dunn 1878- 

Henry  D.  Maxson 1878- 

H.  W.  Rood 

J.  C.  Filmore 

Oscar  U.  Whitford 

M.   G.   Stillman 1879- 

E.  H.  Evenson 1882- 

N.  Wardner  Williams 1880- 

W.  M.  Fowlie 

Clara  Dunn   Humphrey 1883- 

:\Iay  C.  Baldwin 1883- 

John  B.  Stockman 

Charles  B.  Hull 1885- 

Orson  A.  Stillman 

Belle  R.  Walker , 1888- 

Anna  Carr  Kumlien 

Eda  Crandall  Sheppard 1892- 

Jennie  Dunn  Belknap 1893- 

Charles  H.  Crandall 1894- 

Nelly  M.   Brown '. 1895- 

Charlotte   Maxson   Carr 1895- 

Grace  E.  Miller 1898- 

Rev.  A.  L.  McClelland 

George  Merton  Burdick 1901- 

MANAGKMENT. 

The  institution  is  controlled  bv  a  Board  of  Trus 


sisting  of  twenty-seven  persons  elected  by  the  stockholders  for 


terms  of  three  vears  each.  One-third  of  the  Trustees  a 


872 

875 
873 
876 

874 
876 

874 
878 

875 
879 

879 


879 
878 
878 
878 
881 
884 
885 
882 
890 
891 
883 
886 
888 

895 
892 

894 

895  . 

898 

898 

897 
902 
902 
902 

ees.  con- 


e  chosen 


each  year,  and  nine  constitute  a  quorum.     Through  its  ofificers, 


536  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

its  various  committees,  and  its  Faculty  of  instructors,  this 
Board  administers  all  the  affairs  of  the  institution  and  forms 
and  directs  its  policy  in  all  its  departments.  Since  the  reor- 
ganization in  1867  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Whitford,  Ezekiel  B.  Rog- 
ers, and  Paul  M.  Green  have  served  as  the  Presidents  of  the 
Board.  Rev.  D.  E.  Maxson,  Rev.  James  Bailey,  Professor 
Albert  Whitford,  Rev.  Nathan  Wardner,  Rev.  Elston  M.  Dunn 
and  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts  have  served  as  Vice-Presidents. 
A.  W.  Baldwin.  Paul  M.  Green,  and  Willis  P.  Clarke  have 
served  as  Secretaries.  Charles  'H.  Greenman,  Robert  Wil- 
liams and  Professor  Albert  Whitford  have  served  as  Treas- 
urers. 

FINANCIAL. 

In  the  autumn  of  1844  the  property  of  the  school  was 
worth  about  $400.00.  In  1867,  the  year  in  which  the  academy 
was  changed  to  the  college,  the  total  valuation  of  all  the  prop- 
erty was  reported  as  $29,675.00,  with  a  debt  of  $3,500.00.  In 
1876  the  value  had  increased  to  $46,125.00.  In  1881  the  re- 
ported assets  were  $35,327.00,  with  a  debt  of  $3,250.00.  In 
1893  the  property  was  valued  at  $71,243.34,  with  several  thou- 
sand dollars  indebtedness.  In  1901,  the  first  year  of  the  twen- 
tieth century,  the  valuation  of  the  college  property  was  reported 
as  follows,  with  no  indebtedness : 

Real  estate $  23,062  ^2 

Apparatus    1,215  64 

Cabinets    2,150  00 

Libraries 8,658  34 

Endowments    83,244  66 

Total $118,331  36 

Of  the  endowment  fund,  George  H.  Babcock,  of  Plainfield, 
N.  J.,  a  noble  benefactor,  contributed  during  his  life  and  by 
his  will,  $70,000.00. 

PATRIOTIC   RECORD. 

"At  every  call  for  volunteers  during  the  Civil  War,  stu- 
dents were  mustered  into  the  service.  These  were  drilled  in 
the  manual  of  arms  in  the  chapel  and  on  the  grounds  of  the 
institution.  Of  the  graduates  and  other  students,  three  hun- 
dred and  twelve  entered  the  armv,  and  fortv-three  fell  In-  the 


RF.V.   WII.IJAM    CLII'IOX 
Sec    JiidL^rupliiiiil    .S7;;-///;< 


)ALAX1).   L).   U. 
,-,    p.   1351. 


MILTON    COLLEGE.  537 

bullet  or  by  disease.  The  school  raised,  officered,  and  sent  into 
the  service  two  companies,  and  parts  of  three  other  companies, 
all  belonging-  to  Wisconsin  regiments.  Sixty-nine  of  these 
were  commissioned  for  positions  ranging  from  second  lieuten- 
ant to  brigadier-general." 

GRADUATES. 

The  number  of  graduates,  both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  is 
three  hundred  and  six,  which  includes  the  seventy-three  who 
completed  courses  in  the  old  academy  prior  to  1867.  Through 
these  persons,  and  other  students,  and  the  members  of  the 
Faculty,  the  college  has  occupied  a  foremost  position  in  con- 
tributing to  the  advancement  of  education,  especially  in  the 
State  of  Wisconsin.  It  has  furnished  thousands  of  teachers 
lor  the  common  district  schools,  and  hundreds  as  principals  and 
assistants  in  the  graded  and  high  schools.  In  some  years  as 
many  as  eighteen  of  the  latter  class  could  be  counted  as  en- 
gaged at  once.  Men  from  Milton  have  filled  positions  on  the 
Faculty  of  the  State  University  and  in  many  of  the  Normal 
Schools  of  the  State.  There  are  also  many  successful  and  dis- 
tinguished instructors  in  schools  outside  of  Wisconsin,  who 
were  educated  at  Milton.  Professor  A.  C.  Spicer,  a  principal 
of  the  school  when  it  was  an  academy,  originated  the  scheme 
of  creating  the  Normal  School  income  of  the  State  from  a  por- 
tion of  the  swamp-land  fund.  During  the  last  twenty-nine 
years  the  position  of  Superintendent  of 'Public  Instruction  of 
Wisconsin  has  been  filled  by  members  of  the  Faculty  or  gradu- 
ates of  the  college  for  sixteen  years,  or  more  than  one-half  of 
the  time.  The  first  of  these  was  Professor  Edward  Searing 
for  the  four  years  beginning  in  1874.  Under  his  administration 
the  system  of  supplying  pupils  in  the  public  schools  with  free 
text  books  went  into  operation,  the  provisions  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  free  high  schools  were  adopted,  and  women  were 
made  eligible  to  the  different  school  offices.  He  was  followed 
by  President  W.  C.  Whitford,  who  filled  the  position  also  four 
years.  While  occupying  the  office  he  established  the  present 
grading  system  of  the  country  schools,  secured  the  enactment 
of  a  compulsory  education  law,  prepared  a  very  extensive  cir- 
cular on  plans  and  specifications  of  school  houses  for  country 
districts,  villages  and  small  cities,  and  advocated  in  his  annual 


538  •  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

reports  the  method  of  raising  a  State  tax  for  the  support  of 
the  pubHc  schools,  a  measure  which  was  afterwards  adopted. 
Hon.  Jesse  B.  Thayer,  a  college  graduate  from  Milton,  was 
State  Superintendent  for  four  years,  beginning  in  January, 
1887.  He  revised  and  made  efficient  the  State  system  of  pro- 
viding public  school  libraries,  arranged  for  a  direct  and  active 
supervision  of  the  free  high  schools,  originated  in  connection 
with  the  State  university  a  summer  school  for  teachers,  intro- 
duced the  experiment  of  uniform  examinations  for  teachers  by 
County  Superintendents,  and  brought  the  different  depart- 
ments of  public  education  of  the  State  into  more  helpful  rela- 
tion among  themselves. 

The  Hon.  L.  Dow  Harvey,  now  serving  his  fourth  year  as 
Superintendent,  was  graduated  from  the  college  in  1872. 
Through  his  efforts  the  qualifications  for  County  Superintend- 
ents have  been  more  clearly  specified  and  raised,  the  require- 
ments for  teachers'  certificates  have  been  increased,  the  study 
of  agriculture  has  been  introduced  into  the  common  schools, 
the  methods  of  conducting  teachers'  institutes  have  been  im- 
proved, the  subject  of  centralizing  the  small  scattered  country 
schools  has  been  brought  before  the  people,  and  in  many  ways 
Mr.  Harvey  has  systematized,  and  enlarged,  and  strengthened 
the  public  education  of  the  State. 

Of  the  one  hundred  and  eighty  men  who  have  been  gradu- 
ated by  the  college  at  least  one  hundred  and  twenty,  or  almost 
sixty-seven  per  cent.,  have  entered  upon  one  of  the  four  pro- 
fessions ;  teaching  forty,  the  gospel  ministry  thirty-seven,  medi- 
cine twenty-seven,  and  the  law  sixteen.  Nineteen  of  these  are 
now  living  Seventh-day  Baptist  clergymen. 

COURSES  OF  STUDY. 

From  its  organization  as  a  college  the  institution  has  given 
instruction  in  both  preparatory  and  collegiate  studies  ;  but  in 
March,  1902,  the  preparatory  department  was  more  definitely 
outlined  and  separated,  and  was  called  the  Academy  of  Milton 
College.  The  academy  maintains  four  courses  of  study,  each 
four  years  in  length.  They  are  called  the  Ancient  Classical, 
the  Modern  Classical,  the  Scientific,  and  the  English  course. 
Each  of  the  first  three  prepares  for  and  leads  up  to  a  corres- 
ponding course  of  four  years  in  the  college.     The  catalogue 


MILTON    COLLEGE.  539 

/ 

for  1901-1902  shows  quite  a  liberal  range  of  elective  studies, 
the  three  main  courses  having  been  remodeled  and  strength- 
ened. The  college  has  not  yet  felt  able  to  offer  any  opportunity 
or  advantages  for  graduate  work,  and  does  not  attempt  to  give 
any  instruction  except  in  those  branches  connected  with  the 
three  main  courses.  There  is,  however,  connected  with  the 
college  a  Department  of  Music,  which  has  given  and  still  of- 
fers exceptional  advantages.  There  are  three  courses,  piano- 
forte, voice  culture  and  harmony.  The  time  required  to  com- 
plete each  of  these  courses  varies  from  three  to  six  years,  ac- 
cording to  the  industry  and  ability  of  the  student.  Tuition  in 
the  Department  of  Music  is  extra.  ^ 

EOUIPMEXT.S. 

The  libraries  contain  6,580  volumes,  over  2,000  pamphlets 
and  several  thousand  unbound  magazines.  A  reading  room  in 
connection  with  the  libraries  maintains  a  well  selected  list  of 
periodicals  and  newspapers.  The  chemical  laboratory  is  well 
stocked  with  everything  needful  for  good  work  in  both  general 
and  anal}tical  chemistry.  The  Physics  Department  has  re- 
cently been  given  new  quarters  and  fitted  up  with  excellent 
apparatus.  The  cabinets  of  mineralogy  and  geology  embrace 
over  four  thousand  specimens  and  illustrate  fairly  the  materials 
and  the  formation  of  the  rocks  found  in  the  State.  The  col- 
lege has  the  use  of  a  superior  collection  of  stone  and  copper  im- 
plements of  the  prehistoric  age,  found  in  the  immediate  vicinity, 
elsewhere  in  this  country,  and  in  foreign  lands.  It  has  a  large 
collection  of  specimens  for  use  in  the  study  of  Botany  and 
Natural  History. 

COLLEGE  0RGANIZ.\TI0NS. 

There  are  three  literary  societies  connected  with  the  col- 
lege which  hold  sessions  weekly,  and  public  sessions  once  or 
twice  during  the  year.  The  Iduna  Lyceum,  for  ladies,  organ- 
ized in  1854  as  the  Ladies'  Literary  Society,  reorganized  in 
1869  with  the  present  name;  the  Philomathean  Society,  for 
men,  organized  sometime  prior  to  1858  as  the  Adelphic.  reor- 
ganized in  1861  with  the  ])resent  name;  and  the  Orophilan, 
also  for  men.  organized  sometime  prior  to  1858.  The  Chris- 
tion  Association  dates  its  beginning  in  the  spring  of  1855.  For 
several  years  along  about  1881  it  was  a  Young  Men's  Chris- 


540  SE\'ENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

tian  Association ;  but  the  co-educational  policy  of  the  institu- 
ttion  brought  about  its  disbanding  and  since  then  it  has  been 
an  independent  organization,  managed  entirely  by  the  students 
in  attendance.  The  moral  and  religious  influence  on  the 
student  body  and  on  the  spirit  and  life  of  the  institution  can 
not  be  overestimated.  The  evangelistic  spirit  seems  to  pervade 
all  the  prayer-meetings,  and  students  are  constantly  acting  on 
newly  formed  convictions  of  religious  duty.  The  Milton  Col- 
lege evangelistic  quartet  work  is  the  result  of  the  activity  of 
the  Association.  Students  assist  in  the  religious  exercises  of 
the  churches  of  Milton  and  vicinity  and  during  vacations  con- 
duct gospel  services  in  localities  at  a  distance. 

The  Athletic  Association  has  charge  of  all  athletic  games 
and  contests  connected  with  the  college,  under  the  general  su- 
pervision of  a  Faculty  committee  appointed  annually  by  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  Classes  in  physical  culture  are  held  in 
the  gymnasium,  the  building  formerly  used  as  a  dormitory  for 
men. 

A  College  Glee  Club  and  a  College  Cornet  Band  are  also 
usually  maintained  by  the  students. 

The  Alumni  Association  was  organized  in  1870.  It  holds 
its  annual  meetings  on  the  afternoon  and  evening  of  commence- 
ment day  each  year. 

RETROSPECT. 

Any  college  is  fortunate  which  has  connected  with  its  early 
beginnings  things  of  an  impressive,  picturesque,  heroic  or  ele- 
vating nature.  We  are  told  that  at  Yale  a  little  group  of 
clergymen  put  together  a  few  precious  books,  saying:  'T  give 
these  books  for  the  founding  of  a  college  in  this  colony."  Wil- 
liams College  bears  the  name  of  a  heroic  soldier  of  the  French 
war,  and  who  has  not  heard  of  the  haystack  by  which  a  group 
of  students  consecrated  themselves  to  begin  the  great  work  of 
foreign  missions?  At  Milton  the  student  of  beginnings  can 
fmd  much  upon  which  to  meditate,  and  in  which  he  can  see  the 
promise  and  the  shaping  of  things  to  come.  He  can  easily 
trace  the  spirit  which  brought  into  existence  and  has  maintain- 
ed Milton  College  back  to  the  early  settlers  of  Rhode  Island. 
The  first  inhal)itants  of  Milton  migrated  principally  from 
New  England  and  New  York.     A  few  families    came    from 


A  GROUP  OF  MILTON  TEACHERS. 
Mrs.  Ruth    (Hemphill)    Whitford.  Mrs.  Chloc  (Curtis)   Wliitford. 

Professor   Albert    Whitford.  Professor  Walter  D.  Thomas. 


MILTOX    COLLEGE.  54I 

Scotland  and  Pennsylvania.  All  were  acquainted  with  the 
workings  of  public  schools,  and  some  with  the  advantages  of 
an  academy.  They  brought  with  them  a  desire  for  refinement, 
and  culture,  and  enlightenment.  One  of  the  first  teachers  in 
Milton  says :  "Nowhere  else  have  I  ever  witnessed  the  exhi- 
bition of  more  zeal  and  public  spirit  in  behalf  of  education." 
The  beginnings  of  Milton  are  surrounded  with  the  picturesque. 
Think  of  the  quaint  old  building  first  used  for  the  school. 
Think  of  the  log  houses  from  which  the  boys  and  girls  came. 
Think  of  the  ox-teams,  the  spinning  wheels,  the  flint-lock  mus- 
kets and  the  hand  reaping  sickles.  There  is  something  ro- 
mantic about  the  location.  Think  of  the  Indian  chief,  Black- 
hawk,  and  the  war  that  bears  his  name.  Think  how  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  Jefferson  Davis,  then  young  soldiers,  were  in  the 
expedition  that  marched  along  the  trail  where  Milton  now 
stands.  Think  of  the  'prehistoric  people  who  left  no  trace  of 
iheir  existence  except  curious  shaped  mounds  of  earth,  and 
stone  and  copper  implements.  There  is  something  heroic 
about  the  beginnings  of  Milton.  Think  of  the  long  journeys 
overland  in  covered  wagons  amid  all  sorts  of  perils  and  priva- 
tions. Think  of  the  boys  trudging  through  the  snow  to  the 
old  academy,  without  overcoats,  with  heavy  cowhide  boots, 
into  the  legs  of  which  the  snow  often  found  its  way,  and  that 
to  bare  flesh.  Think  of  the  men  and  women  without  the  luxu- 
ries, rather  without  the  comforts,  nay,  almost  without  the  ne- 
cessities of  life,  giving  their  scanty  means  to  build  up  and 
maintain  a  school.  Think  of  the  teachers,  and  the  sacrifices 
which  they  made.  The  rising  generation  can  never  appreciate 
the  sacrifices  that  the  measure  of  success  thus  far  attained  by 
]\Iilton  has  cost.  But  sacrifices  are  still  being  made  for  ^Mil- 
ton,  and  there  is  much  need  for  sacrifice  yet.  The  spirit  of 
sacrifice  is  among  the  noble  attributes  of  mankind.  How 
many  times  it  has  pervaded  the  student  body  at  Milton  and  the 
result  was  a  new  overcoat  for  the  President,  or  new  chairs  for 
the  platform,  or  new  seats  for  the  chapel,  or  an  easy  chair  for 
Professor  Albert,  or  a  new  jiiano  for  the  school !  How 
it  has  pervaded  the  friends  of  the  college,  and  some  poor  girl 
has  had  her  tuition  paid,  or  new  books  have  come  to  the  lib- 
rary, or  a  furnace  was  placed  in  the  main  building,  or  a  long 
standing  debt  was  raised,  or  an  endowment  fund  was  started. 


542  SE\^ENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

cr  a  new  building  was  erected !  Who  can  tell  the  influence  in 
future  years  upon  the  boys  and  girls  who  have  come  and  are 
yet  to  come  into  this  atmosphere  of  sacrifice !  Milton  does  not 
have  halls  of  polished  marble,  but  the  student  who  looks  upon 
its  plain  old  walls,  if  he  has  any  appreciation  at  all  for  the 
heroic  and  the  noble,  must  be  influenced  and  moved  to  a  higher, 
a  less  selfish,  a  better  life. 

All  honor  to  the  brave  men  and  women  who  have  spent 
and  been  spent  for  Milton  College,  but  in  looking  over  the 
list  of  those  who  have  thus  labored  and  sacrificed  that  the 
school  might  be  and  continue  to  be,  four  names  stand  out  above 
all  others:  Joseph  Goodrich,  the  founder;  William  C.  Whit- 
ford,  and  his  brother,  Albert  Whitford,  the  builders,  and 
George  H.  Babcock,  the  benefactor.  The  spirit  of  these  men 
has  brooded  over  and  instilled  itself  into  the  atmosphere  of  the 
school  until  to-day  Milton  College  stands  pre-eminently  for 
character  building.  Christian  culture,  for  thorough,  honest  ef- 
fort, for  cheerful,  hopeful  helpfulness.  May  these  standards 
of  excellence,  these  high  ideals,  these  grand  conceptions  of  life, 
and  this  patient,  thorough  preparation  for  it,  continue  to  domi- 
nate, and  be  imparted  to  all  who  come  within  the  sphere  of  its 
influence  for  vears  and  for  centuries  to  come. 


SOURCES. 

In  preparing  this  paper,  among  others,  the  following  au- 
thorities have  been  consulted : 

1.  History  of  Rock  County,  Wis.  An  article  entitled 
Town  of  Milton,  written  by  A.  W.  Baldwin.  The  book  was 
published  at  Janesville,  Wis.,  early  in  1856. 

2.  History  of  Education  in  Wisconsin.  Published  by 
die  State  in  1876  for  the  Philadelphia  Centennial  Exposition. 
It  was  written  by  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Whitford. 

3.  An  Historical  Sketch  of  Milton  College,  by  President 
W.  C.  Whitford,  in  1876. 

4.  History  of  Rock  County,  published  in  1879.  An  arti- 
cle on  Milton  Colllege,  without  signature. 

5.  History  of  Education  in  Wisconsin,  prepared  for  the 
World's  Columbian   Exposition  at  Chicago,   111.,   in   1893,  an 


MILTON    COLLEGE.  543 

article  on  Milton  College,  written  by  President  \V.  C.  Whit- 
ford. 

6.  Annual  Reports  of  Milton  College  to  the  Seventh-day 
Baptist  Education  Society,  since  1867,  published  with  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  Reports. 

7.  Files  of  The  Sabbath  Recorder,  passim  since  1857. 

8.  Catalogues  of  Milton  College  and  Milton  Academy 
since  1858. 

9.  Files  of  The  Milton  College  Journal,  1878- 1883. 

10.  Files  of  The  Milton  College  Rcz'ieiv,  1899-1902. 

These  sources  of  information  have  been  freely  used,  quo- 
tations and  condensing  being  made  at  pleasure.  They  are  too 
extensive  to  be  incorporated  in  full  in  a  brief  paper  like  this, 
but  they  can  all  be  found  in  the  libraries  of  Milton  College,  and 
most  of  them  in  the  libraries  at  Alfred  University.  Salem  Col- 
lege, and  the  office  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Societv. 
To  these  you  are  referred  for  more  complete  information. 


(34) 


REV.  THEODORE  LIVINGSTON  GARDINER,  D.D. 
See   Biograpliical    Sketches,    p.   1361. 


HISTORY    OF  SALEM   COLLEGE. 


President  Theodore  L.  Gardiner. 


Salem  College  is  situated  in  Harrison  County,  West  Vir- 
ginia, on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad,  67  miles  east  of  Par- 
kersburg,  and  14  miles  west  of  Clarksburg,  the  county  seat. 

After  several  preliminary  meetings,  in  which  steps  were 
taken  toward  securing  a  charter,  it  was  organized  under  the 
name  of  Salem  Academy,  in  January,   1889. 

In  the  following  year  the  charter  name  was  changed  by 
the  Legislature  of  West  Virginia,  to  that  of  Salem  College. 
The  school  was  established  "under  the  regulations  of  the 
Seventh-day  Baptist  Education  Society ;"  and  its  President 
and  two-thirds  of  its  Board  of  Managers  must  be  Seventh-day 
Baptists. 

Previous  to  1889  there  had  long  been  a  desire  on  the  part 
of  the  people  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  to  provide  some 
way  whereby  their  young  people  could  secure  a  higher  educa- 
tion. While  here  and  there  one  among  the  many  was  able 
to  seek  college  culture  away  from  home,  the  great  majority 
of  the  young  people  in  the  "homes  among  the  hills"  were  unable 
to  meet  the  necessary  expenses. 

Year  after  year  the  question  was  discussed  in  annual  meet- 
ings of  the  Association  ;  and  it  was  often  made  the  burden  of 
their  prayers.     One  effort  liad  been  made,  years  before,  for 


546  .  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS  : 

biich  a  school,  which  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  an  acade- 
my at  West  Union  and  Doddridge  County ;  but  this  was  short- 
lived. 

Finally,  in  1888,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  John  L. 
Huffman,  it  was  determined  that  such  a  school  should  be  start- 
ed. In  the  Association  of  the  preceding-  year,  held  with  the 
Ritchie  church,  a  resolution  had  been  adopted  favoring  the 
establishment  of  a  school,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  with 
Mr.  Huffman  as  chairman,  resulting  in  the  determination  to 
move  forward  in  this  matter. 

In  the  Association  of  1889  this  committee  reported  the 
results  of  their  canvass  to  be  $4,866.00  thus  far,  and  the  organi- 
zation of  a  stock  company  with  $25  a  share,  under  whose  man- 
agement the  building  was  then  being  erected  in  the  west  end 
of  Salem. 

People  of  all  denominations  had  subscribed  liberally  and 
all  seemed  interested  in  the  good  work.  While  several  lots  had 
been  under  consideration,  the  gift  of  five  acres  of  land  by 
G.  W.  F.  Randolph  turned  the  decision  in  favor  of  the  above 
location. 

The  first  two  terms  of  school  were  held  in  rented  rooms, 
in  the  centre  of  the  town.  Rev.  S.  L.  Maxson  was  elected 
President,  at  a  salary  of  $500.00,  who  was  to  act  also  as  pastor 
cf  the  church  at  a  salary  of  $400.00 ;  but  being  unable  to  come 
in  the  spring  of  1888,  Mr.  Huffman  was  made  Acting  Presi- 
dent. He  taught  the  first  term  in  a  room  in  the  public  school 
building,  beginning  in  April  of  that  year ;  and  Professor  Max- 
son,  on  his  arrival,  used  rooms  in  the  chamber  of  Jessie  F. 
Randolph's  building,  until  the  college  was  completed,  early  in 
the  winter.  This  building  was  accepted  by  the  Board  of 
Managers  on  December  31.  1889,  about  one  year  after  the  or- 
ganization of  the  stock  company. 

On  this  day  the  building  was  dedicated  with  all-day  ser- 
vices. Rev.  L.  E.  Peters,  of  the  First-day  Baptist  church,  de- 
livered the  first  address,  upon  "The  Advantages  of  Education 
to  a  Community."  He  was  followed  by  an  address  by  Rev. 
INlr.  Kelley,  of  the  Methodist  church,  upon  the  subject:  "The 
Necessity  of  an  Education." 

In  the  afternoon  session,  addresses  were  made  bv  Rev. 


SALRM  COLLEGE. 


SALEM   COLLEGE.  547 

T.  K.  Clark,  President  S.  L.  Maxson,  Rev.  S.  D.  Davis,  and 
Colonel  Cooper;  all  along  the  line  of  dedicating  things  to  the 
VvOrk  of  education.  These  services  were  closed  by  the  address 
of  Rev.  J.  L.  Huffman  upon  "The  Duty  of  the  People  to 
Salem  College." 

Dedication  services  were  closed  with  a  concert  in  the  even- 
mg,  which  realized  $35.00  for  the  purchase  of  lamps  and 
chandeliers  for  the  building.  Up  to  this  time  the  building  alone 
iiad  cost  something  over  $4,600.00.  and  was  left  with  a  debt  of 
more  than  $2,300.00.  This  deficiency  was  partly  covered  by 
unpaid  subscriptions,  which  still  left  a  debt  of  $716.00  unpro- 
vided for. 

In  August,  1891,  the  Board,  convinced  that  President 
Tvlaxson's  entire  services  were  needed  in  the  college,  made  ar- 
rangements for  him  to  give  up  the  church  pastorate,  and  de- 
vote'all  his  time  to  this  work,  at  a  salary  of  $900.00. 

The  first  Faculty  in  the  academic  work  was  composed  of 
President  Maxson,  Miss  Elsie  Bond,  and  William  M.  Blair.  In 
1891  a  Business  Department  was  started,  including  teaching 
of  typewriting  and  telegraphy.  But  this  department  had  to 
be  abandoned  in  two  or  three  years,  because  the  school  outgrew 
the  building  and  the  rooms  were  all  needed  for  college  work. 

The  college  had  no  endowment  and  all  deficiencies  had  to 
be  met  by  popular  subscriptions.  The  tuitions  were  not  suf- 
ficient to  pay  more  than  one-third  of  the  expenses,  and  the 
great  struggle  for  funds  to  carry  on  the  work  was  begun  at 
the  outset.  At  the  close  of  the  fall  term  of  1890  the  Board 
had  to  issue  orders  for  teachers'  salaries,  bearing  interest  from 
date ;  and  Elder  Huffman  was  urged  to  secure  pledges,  and  col- 
lect funds  with  which  to  pay  the  teachers. 

At  the  close  of  the  school  year  of  1892,  President  Max- 
son  resigned,  and  closed  his  connection  with  the  college. 

Then  began  a  most  faithful  search  for  a  President. 
The  pastor  of  Salem  church.  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  was 
delegate  to  sister  Associations  that  year,  and  he  made  it  the 
special  effort  of  that  trip  to  find,  if  possible,  a  man  for  the 
place.  Two  persons  had  the  matter  under  consideration  only 
to  say  "no"  at  last.  The  time  was  drawing  near  for  the  fall 
term  to  open,  when  on  the  22d  day  of  August  Mr.  Gardiner 


548  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

yielded  to  their  entreaties,  and  accepted  the  Presidency  for  one 
year  only,  with  the  privilege  of  giving  a  final  decision  as  to 
permanent  work  at  the  end  of  the  school  year. 

President  Gardiner  has  never  been  able  to  lay  down  the 
work,  thus  accepted  with  misgivings,  and  still  holds  the  Presi- 
dency in  the  sixteenth  year  of  the  college.  These  have  been 
years  of  struggle  with  debts,  and  in  the  efforts  to  find  funds  to 
run  the  school.  All  the  old  debts  had  been  paid  off  long  before 
and  the  college  was  free  from  debt  in  January,  1905.  It  has 
done  a  blessed  work  for  the  young  people  of  the  surround- 
ing country,  and  we  trust  that  it  may  yet  have  a  bright  and 
•prosperous  future. 

Plans  are  now  being  adopted  for  a  $20,000.00  building, 
and  work  will  begin  upon  this  in  the  spring.  The  college  has 
a  fine  supply  of  apparatus,  a  library  of  3.500  volumes,  and 
stands  in  the  front  rank  among  the  schools  of  West  Virginia. 
Its  geological  and  archaeological  cabinet  contains  specimens 
from  every  part  of  the  world. 

The  student  registry  ranges  from  50  or  60  in  fall  and  win- 
ter to  140  in  the  spring  terms.  The  highest  number  ever  reg- 
istered in  one  term  was  153. 

It  offers  three  college  courses  of  study  and  the  State  Nor- 
mal course  for  teachers. 

The  Faculty  in  1905  consists  of  the  following  named  per- 
sons : 

In  college  work  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  A.  M.,  D.  D., 
President;  Miss  Elsie  B.  Bond,  A.  M. ;  Cortez  R.  Clawson, 
Ph.  B.,  B.  Litt.,  A.  B. ;  Samuel  B.  Bond,  A.  B. ;  Mrs.  Alice 
Clawson  Gardiner,  A.  B. ;  Harry  G.  Young,  B.  S.,  and  Miss 
Ida  C.  Young  and  Mrs.  Abbie  Clawson,  teachers  in  music. 


REV.  WILLIAM  CALVIN  WHITFORD,  D.  D. 
See  Biographical   Sketches,    p.  136L 


THEOLOGICAL      DEPARTMENT 
ALFRED  UNIVERSITY. 


William  Calvin  Whitford,  A.  M. 


The  Theological  Department  of  Alfred  University  has 
played  no  insignificant  part  in  the  history  of  the  Seventh-day 
Baptist  people.  It  has  stood  for  an  ideal  of  education  and  en- 
lightenment, and  has  been  of  immense  worth  beyond  the  spe- 
cific value  of  the  instruction  given.  As  our  denomination  is 
founded  upon  the  principle  of  intense  loyalty  to  God  and  to 
the  truth,  it  is  to  be  expected  that  we  should  show  ourselves 
lo  be  a  people  eagerly  desirous  after  education,  and  willing  to 
sacrifice  much  for  its  attainment. 

Our  forefathers  early  recognized  the  truth  that  it  is  a  duty 
which  we  owe  to  God,  to  develop  and  train  our  intellectual 
faculties.  They  were  according  to  their  ability  in  the  front 
rank  of  the  battle  for  education  for  their  children.  Fifty  and 
sixty  years  ago  they  founded  many  schools  of  academic  grade 
and  some  of  collegiate  character ;  but  they  realized  that  the 
highest  knowledge  is  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  noblest 
use  of  education  is  in  the  Gospel  ministry.  They  had,  there- 
fore, the  desire  and  purj)ose  to  establish  a  seminary  for  the 
training  of  those  who  were  to  be  the  spiritual  leaders. 

The  Theological  Department  of  Alfred  University  looks 
back  forty-seven  years  for  its  official  origin,  when  the  Scventii- 


550  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

day  Baptist  Education  Society  was  organized  at  Leonardsville, 
N.  Y.,  September  8,  1855,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  "as 
soon  as  practicable"  a  literary  institution  and  Theological  Seiji- 
inary.  There  were  other  education  societies  before  this  one, 
but  they  were  more  local  in  their  membership  and  influnce. 
There  was  also  some  instruction  given  at  Alfred  in  the  direc- 
tion of  theological  training ;  but  not  a  great  deal.  We  may 
say,  then,  that  it  was  not  really  a  new  work  that  started  in 
1855,  but  a  reorganization  for  the  carrying  on  of  a  work  in 
which  the  people  were  already  deeply  interested. 

The  movement  thus  auspiciously  instituted  was  necessarily 
of  slow  progress.  A  theological  seminary  could  not  spring  into 
life  before  a  college.  While  through  lack  of  money  and  of 
men  the  college  was  obliged  to  struggle  for  existence,  the  sem- 
inary had  to  wait.  But  it  did  not  wait  patiently.  There  were 
continued  and  repeated  attempts  during  the  fifteen  years  that 
succeeded  the  year  of  the  organization  of  the  Education  So- 
ciety to  carry  out  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  organized :  to 
establish  and  carry  on  the  work  of  theological  training  at  Al- 
fred. 

In  1857  the  Education  Society  passed  the  following  reso- 
lutions : 

"i.  Resolved,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist denomination,  at  the  earliest  practicable  opportunity,  to 
establish  a  Theological  Department  in  Alfred  University. 

"2.  Resolved,  That  the  society  recommend  the  Executive 
Board  to  take  measures  to  secure  as  early  as  practicable,  the 
appointment  of  a  theological  professor,  who  shall  enter  upon 
his  duties  as  soon  as  the  financial  state  of  the  university  will 
warrant,  with  the  understanding  that  his  time  shall  be  employed 
in  the  college  when  his  services  are  not  needed  in  the  Theologi- 
cal Department." 

It  seems  that  no  action  was  taken  by  the  Trustees  of  the 
university  to  carry  out  these  resolutions.  The  next  year  the 
Education  Society  expressed  its  sentiments  more  forcibly  in 
the  following  brief  preamble  and  resolution : 

"Whereas,  The  subscriptions  were  primarily  taken  with 
reference  to  the  establishment  of  a  Theological  Department, 
therefore :  Resolved,  That  we  instruct  our  committee  to  es- 
tablish that  department  immediately." 


RI-:V.  THOMAS  RUDOLPH  WILLIAMS,  D.  D. 
See   Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1 361. 


THEOLOGICAL     DEPARTMENT.  55I 

Rev.  William  B.  ]\Iaxson,  D.  D.,  was  accordingly  appoint- 
ed by  the  Theological  Committee  of  the  Education  Society  as 
Professor  of  Theology ;  but  his  appointment  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  confirmed  by  the  Trustees  of  the  university. 

In  1 86 1  the  Education  Society  macfe  another  attempt,  and 
passed,  among  others,  the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  we  recommend  the  Trustees  of  Alfred 
University  to  appoint  Brother  Jonathan  Allen  Professor  of 
Theology  in  that  institution,  as  an  initiatory  step  in  organizing 
a  Theological  Department,  and  to  make  such  arrangements  for 
giving  efficiency  to  the  department  as  their  means  will  per- 
mit." 

Professor  (afterwards  President)  Allen  was  duly  appoint- 
ed in  accordance  with  this  recommendation,  but  declined  to 
accept  the  appointment  unless  a  professor  of  pastoral  theology 
should  also  be  appointed.  This  the  Trustees  were  unable  to  do 
on  account  of  a  lack  of  money,  and  Professor  Allen  seems  to 
have  reconsidered  his  refusal.  The  Theological  Department 
'.vas  informally  organized  in  December,  1861,  and  instruction 
was  given  from  this  time  on  with  more  or  less  regularity  in 
various  studies  connected  with  a  theological  course. 

The  following  forty  years  of  the  history  of  the  Theological 
Department  may  be  divided  into  three  periods  each,  marked 
by  a  renewal  of  interest  in  theological  training:  from  1861  to 
1870  under  the  leadership  of  Jonathan  Allen  ;  from  1870  to 
1892  with  Jonathan  Allen  as  President,  Thomas  R.  Williams 
and  others  as  instructors;  from  1893  to  1901,  the  recent  period 
01  changes. 

In  1863  twenty-five  students  are  reported  as  being  in- 
structed in  some  of  the  theological  classes,  but  the  majority  of 
these  were  not  candidates  for  the  ministry.  In  1866-7  ^^e 
theological  students  were  registered,  one  Senior  and  four 
Juniors.  Until  1867  the  labor  of  instruction  rested,  for  the 
most  part,  upon  the  shoulders  of  Professor  Allen.  The  Ex- 
ecutive Board  of  the  Education  Society  recommended  in  1862 
that  Rev.  N.  V.  Hull  be  appointed  as  Professor  of  Pastoral 
Theology,  but  the  society  did  not  adopt  the  recommendation. 
In  1864  renewed  efforts  were  made  for  his  appointment,  with- 
out success.  In  1865-6  Professor  Allen  took  matters  into  his 
own  hands,  and  engaged  Elder  Hull  to  give  instruction  to  the 


552  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

students  in  pastoral  theology,  and  in  1868  he  was  duly  ap- 
pointed as  professor.  Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis  was  also  appointed 
in  the  same  year  as  Professor  of  Church  History. 

Meanwhile,  in  1866,  there  had  come  to  Alfred  as  Profes- 
sor of  Greek,  one  who  was  to  be  the  very  heart  of  the  Theo- 
logical Department  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Whether  as 
Professor  of  Biblical  Literature  or  of  Systematic  Theology,  the 
influence  of  Thomas  R.  Williams  was  felt  in  encouraging 
young  men  to  take  up  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry  and 
to  make  preparation  for  that  work. 

Until  1870  instruction  in  theological  studies  had  usually 
been  given  .in  connection  with  collegiate  work.  The  feeling 
of  a  need  for  greater  efficiency  in  the  work  of  the  Theological 
Department  is  shown  by  the  action  of  the  Education  Society 
ni  1869.  Among  other  matters  the  committee  on  the  better 
organization  of  the  Theological  Department  recommended : 

"i.  That  this  society  instruct  its  Executive  Board  to 
take  immediate  steps  to  organize  the  Theological  Department 
of  Alfred  University  into  a  separate  and  independent  depart- 
ment, and  put  the  same  into  complete  operation  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. 

"2.  Whereas  a  considerable  part  of  the  endowment  fund 
of  said  university  was  subscribed  for  the  support  of  that  de- 
partment, your  committee  would  further  recommend  that  one- 
lialf  of  the  present  fund  be  set  apart  for  the  support  of  that 
department,  and  that  steps  be  at  once  taken  to  enlarge  said  fund 
for  its  support." 

In  1870  Rev.  L.  R.  Swinney  was  made  Professor  of  He- 
brew^ and  Cognate  Languages,  and  Professor  Williams  was 
relieved  from  most  if  not  all  of  his  college  work,  and  assigned 
to  the  Theological  Faculty.  Thus  reinforced,  the  Theological 
Department  organized  a  class  of  ten  regular  members  at  the 
beginning  of  the  spring  term  in  1871,  and  began  a  new  era  in 
theological  instruction  at  Alfred  University. 

The  students  who  took  theological  studies  in  the  depart- 
ment prior  to  1870  usually  completed  courses  in  other  semin- 
aries and  to  none  of  them  was  given  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Divinity  at  Alfred.  Since  1871  thirty-three  students  have 
been  graduated  from  the  Theological  Department ;  two  have 
completed  the  course  and  received  collegiate  degrees.     A  num- 


REV.   DARWIN   ELDRIDGE   MAXSON.   D.   D. 
See   /biographical   Sketches,    p.  1361. 


THEOLOGICAL     DEPARTMENT.  553 

ber  of  others  have  entered  the  Gospel  ministry  after  special 
courses  in  the  Theological  Department. 

The  following  graduates  from  the  university  between 
1863  and  1869  had  work  in  the  Theological  Department: 
A.  H.  Lewis,  '63 ;  O.  U.  Whitford,  '63 ;  L.  E.  Livermore,  '66 ; 
S.  R.  Wheeler,  '66;  Charles  A.  Burdick,  '67;  Herbert  E.  Bab- 
cock,  '69. 

The  following  graduated  from  the  department  in  1874  or 
since  that  time  with  the  degree  of  B.  D. :  George  J.  Crandall, 
74;  Darius  K.  Davis,  '74;  David  H.  Davis,  '74;  Theodore  L. 
Gardiner.  '74;  John  L.  Huffman,  '74;  Benjamin  F.  Rogers, 
74;  Oliver  D.  Sherman,  '74;  Uri  M.  Babcock,  '76;  Morton  S. 
Wardner,  76;  Ira  Lee  Cottrell,  77;  George  M.  Cottrell,  'yy ; 
William  H.  Ernst,  '77 ;  William  F.  Place,  '77 ;  Judson  G.  Bur- 
dick, '84 ;  Experience  F.  Randolph  Burdick.  '85 ;  Frederick  S. 
Place,  '85  ;  S.  Lafayette  Maxson.  '85 ;  E.  Adelbert  Witter.  '85 ; 
Orpheus  S.  Mills,  '86;  E.  H.  Socwell,  '88;  George  W.  Hills, 
'89;  George  W.  Lewis,  '90;  J.  Allison  Platts,  '90;  William  L. 
Burdick,  '92  ;  John  T.  Davis,  '92  ;  Leon  D.  Burdick,  '93  ;  Martin 
Sindall,  '93;  M.  G.  Stillman,  '93;  George  B.  Shaw,  '96;  Eli 
F.  Loofboro,  '02.  With  the  degree  of  T.  G. :  A.  G.  Crofoot, 
'85  ;  G.  W.  Burdick,  '85. 

The  following  have  been  students  in  the  Theological  De- 
partment for  a  year  or  more  since  1874,  and  have  since  become 
pastors:  E.  P.  Saunders,  M.  B.  Kelly,  G.  H.  F.  Randolph, 
N.  M.  Mills,  P.  H.  Velthuysen. 

In  addition  to  these,  man)-  men  and  women  have  been 
helped  in  their  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  and  thus  prepared  to 
serve  their  fellow-men  in  less  prominent  positions  than  that 
of  pastor.  The  training  of  laymen  is  an  important  part  of  the 
work  of  the  Theological  Dei)artment. 

In  1876  Rev.  L.  R.  Swinney  retired  from  the  theological 
faculty  and  in  188 1  Rev.  N.  \'.  Hull  died.  From  1881  for  ten 
years  the  corps  of  instructors  for  the  Theological  Department 
v/as  as  follows : 

"Rev.  J.  Allen.  D.  D.,  Ph.  D.,  President  and  Professor  of 
Natural  and  Comparative  Theology. 

"Rev.  T.  R.  Williams,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Christian  The- 
ology, and  the  IIcl)rcw  Language. 


554  SEVENTII-UAY    BAPTISTS: 

"Rev.  A.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Church  History 
and  Homiletics. 

"Rev.  D.  E.  Maxson,  A.  M.,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Church 
PoHty,  Pastoral  Theology  and  Mission  Work. 

"E.  M.  Tomlinson,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  New  Testament 
Greek  and  Literature." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Education  Society  at  Xortonville, 
Kansas,  in  1892,  a  movement  was  set  on  foot  to  increase  the 
endowment  of  the  Theological  Department  and  to  secure  the 
services  of  three  resident  professors  who  should  give  the  major 
part  of  their  time  and  attention  to  this  department.  In  the 
course  of  the  next  school  year  the  need  for  help  was  felt  more 
keenly  by  the  deaths  of  two  of  the  most  staunch  supporters  of 
the  theological  work:  President  Allen  and  Dr.  Williams.  The 
great  lights  were  fallen,  but  the  work  still  went  on. 

In  the  fall  of  1893  the  teaching  force  was  President  Main, 
Dr.  L.  A.  Platts  and  Professor  William  C.  Whitford.  From 
1896  to  1901  the  work  was  for  the  most  part  in  the  hands  of 
President  Davis  and  Professor  Whitford. 

At  the  session  of  the  Education  Society  at  Adams  Cen- 
tre in  1900  there  was  another  revival  of  interest  in  theological 
instruction,  and  the  sentiment  of  the  people  was  that  our  Theo- 
logical Seminary  should  be  so  thoroughly  equipped  that  can- 
didates for  the  ministry  should  not  feel  obliged  to  go  to  schools 
of  other  denominations.  At  Alfred  in  1901  this  sentiment 
showed  itself  to  be  practical  in  the  subscription  of  over  $10,000 
to  permanent  endowment,  in  addition  to  the  generous  sub- 
scriptions of  the  churches  during  the  year  for  the  temporary 
support  of  the  department. 

In  the  fall  of  190 1  the  Theological  Department  was  reor- 
ganized and  called  the  Alfred  Theological  Seminary,  with  Rev. 
Arthur  E.  Main  as  Dean,  Rev.  William  C.  Whitford  Professor 
of  Biblical  Languages  and  Literature  and  Rev.  James  Lee 
Gamble,  Professor  of  Church  History,  assisted  by  Rev.  Lester 
C.  Randolph,  Instructor  in  Evangelism  and  Personal  Work; 
Miss  Ethel  Middaugh,  Instructor  in  Sacred  Music,  and  Miss 
Sophie  S.  Reynolds,  Instructor  in  Elocution.  The  seminary 
has  a  special  building  set  apart  for  its  use  on  the  campus  of 
Alfred  University.  One  student  was  graduated  in  June,  1902, 
Eli  F.  Loofboro.     The  seminary  is  now  thoroughly  equipped 


< 
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CO 

< 
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3 
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o 

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THEOLOGICAL     DEPARTMENT.  555 

for  usefulness  and  has  bright  prospects  for  the  future.  I  be- 
speak for  it  your  interest,  your  prayers,  and  your  students. 

And  thus  I  have  laid  before  you  a  sketch  of  the  external 
history  of  the  Theological  Department  of  Alfred  University ; 
but  it  has  also  an  internal  history,  a  real  life  which  is  more  dif- 
ficult to  portray.  This  Theological  Seminary  has  not  had  ex- 
istence merely  to  furnish  a  pretext  for  calling  the  institution  at 
Alfred  a  university,  rather  than  a  college.  The  reason  for  its 
being  is  in  the  great  commission  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  a 
part  of  which  is,  "Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  what- 
soever I  commanded  you."  How  can  we  teach  unless  we  are 
first  instructed?  Let  this  and  every  other  theological  semin- 
ary be  put  out  of  the  way  if  they  presume  to  take  the  place  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  Instructor ;  but  there  is  need  of  preparation 
to  receive  the  divine  message  and  to  set  it  forth  clearly  and 
forcibly. 

It  has  been  suggested  in  past  years  by  those  who  realized 
the  need  for  special  training  for  those  who  would  undertake 
the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  that  our  young  men  accept  the 
generous  offers  of  free  tuition  and  scholarships  in  other  Theo- 
logical Seminaries,  and  let  our  Theological  Department  pass 
away  and  be  remembered  for  the  good  that  it  has  done  like  the 
many  academies  that  were  founded  fifty  years  ago.  There 
seems  to  be  force  to  this  argument.  But  why  not  transfer  all 
our  educational  work  to  the  public  high  schools  and  to  the 
State  universities  and  colleges  ?  Why  not  turn  over  the  money 
that  is  invested  in  Salem  and  in  Milton,  and  in  Alfred  to  the 
work  of  foreign  missions  ?  Let  us  go  a  step  further :  Why 
should  not  we  Sabbath-keeping  Christians  unite  in  church  or- 
ganization with  any  other  Christians  that  happen  to  reside  in 
the  same  locality  with  us  ? 

The  answer  to  all  these  questions  is  the  same:  Our  duty 
to  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath  does  not  permit  it.  Far  be  it  from 
us  to  exalt  the  truth  in  regard  to  the  Sabbath  above  all  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  life,  or  as  we  have  been  falsely  accused, 
— to  worship  the  Sabbath-day.  On  the  other  hand,  may  we 
never,  by  fear  of  being  regarded  as  fanatics,  be  driven  to  forget 
our  high  calling  as  witnesses  for  God,  and  for  his  truth. 

It  is  not  inconceivable  that  we  could  exist  as  a  denomina- 
tion of  Christians  without  a  theological   seminary ;    for    our 


556  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

Strength  is  from  God  himself  and  from  his  truth.  But  as 
means  of  training  the  pastors  of  this  people  which  has  in  the 
providence  of  God  been  chosen  by  him  to  help  in  keeping  alive 
the  divine  truth  in  regard  to  the  Sabbath,  there  is  nothing  more 
important  than  a  theological  seminary  of  our  own.  It  was 
not  founded  to  teach  one  truth  and  that  alone ;  but  to  emphasize 
loyalty  to  God  and  to  present  the  Sabbath  doctrine  as  well  as 
ether  truths  in  proper  relation  to  the  sum  of  the  truths  of  di- 
vine revelation. 

I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  a  man  who  has  not  attended 
our  theological  school  can  not  make  a  good  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist minister.  This  school,  like  others,  exists  that  it  may  serve, 
not  that  it  may  be  served.  I  am  ready  to  say  that  when  we 
invite  young  men  to  study  at  Alfred  we  are  not  asking  them 
to  sacrifice  themselves  or  their  hopes  of  future  usefulness  for 
the  good  of  our  denominational  schools,  but  are  the  rather  re- 
commending that  they  shall  put  themselves  under  those  influ- 
ences wdiich  shall  make  them  strong  in  the  faith  of  their  fathers 
and  strong  in  their  loyalty  to  God  and  the  truth. 

The  Alfred  Theological  Seminary  as  the  cap  stone  of  our 
denominational  system  of  education  is  the  sign  and  seal  of 
our  principles.  Our  forefathers  of  eighty  years  ago  and  more 
sought  for  education  in  Biblical  languages  for  the  sake  of  God 
and  for  his  Sabbath.  Fifty  and  sixty  years  ago  they  founded 
education  societies,  and  hoped  for  a  theological  seminary. 
Thirty  years  ago,  as  we  have  noticed,  the  Theological  Depart- 
ment was  well  started  in  its  work.  Now  it  is  called  Alfred 
Theological  Seminary,  not  that  it  may  have  a  new  name  par- 
ticularly ;  but  that  we  may  better  realize  its  separate  place  and 
its  great  importance  and  that  the  progress  in  its  equipment 
may  be  emphasized. 

The  years  of  struggle  and  sacrifice  are  bearing  fruit. 
Through  the  blessing  of  God  we  are  far  beyond  our  limitations 
of  one  hundred  years  ago.  In  1855,  when  the  Education  So- 
ciety was  organized,  there  were  but  two  clergymen  in  our  de- 
nomination who  had  taken  full  college  and  theological  courses ; 
to-day  our  pastors  are,  as  a  rule,  graduates  of  theological  sem- 
inaries. William  C.  Kenyon.  writing  forty  or  fifty  years  ago, 
said,  "We  are  confessedly  deficient  in  educated  men,"  but  that 
could  hardly  be  said  to-day. 


THEOLOGICAL     DEPARTMENT,  557 

May  we  never  grow  weary  in  our  search  for  the  truth  or 
set  for  ourselves  low  ideals  in  the  matter  of  intellectual  or 
spiritual  attainments.  May  we  never  be  untrue  to  the  Sab- 
bath which  our  heavenly  Father  has  given  to  us  as  a  sacred 
trust. 


REV.  LEANDER  ELLIOTT   LIVER^IORE 
See   Biographical   Sketches,    p.   I36L 


EXTINCT   SCHOOLS 


L.  E.  L 


ivermore. 


The  history  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  educational  move- 
ments among  Seventh-day  Baptists  in  America  is  full  of  in- 
terest. Though  slow  in  beginning,  yet  when  the  fire  was  once 
enkindled,  like  that  of  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, it  broke  out  in  numerous  places  at  about  the  same  time. 
Following  closely  upon  the  awakening  which  culminated  in 
founding  Alfred  University,  DeRuyter  Institute,  and  IMilton 
College,  various  other  communities  became  deeply  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  providing  better  facilities 
for  educating  our  own  young  people  and  all  others  who  desired 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  thus  afforded. 

Besides  the  more  permanent  schools  which  were  subse- 
quently chartered  as  colleges,  and  which  are  still  doing  excel- 
lent work,  with  the  exception  of  DeRuyter  Institute,  the  his- 
tory of  which  has  been  assigned  to  another  person,  we  mention 
them  in  the  order  of  their  organization,  beginning  with 

BROOKFIELD  ACADEMY, 
184I-1876. 

Though  not  chartered  as  an  academy  until  four  years 
later,  still  the  Brookfield  Academy  really  had  its  origin  in  a 
select  school  opened  in  the  fall  of  1841  by  Giles  M.  Lang- 
worthy,  one  of  the  first  teachers  in  DeRuyter  Institute,  which 


560  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

was  founded  about  four  years  previous.  After  four  years  of 
successful  management,  it  was  thought  best  to  complete  the 
organization  of  the  school  by  securing  an  academic  charter. 
Accordingly,  in  1845  this  step  was  taken  and  for  the  succeed- 
ing thirty-one  years  it  continued  in  that  capacity,  fostering  the 
spirit  of  popular  education  in  that  and  surrounding  communi- 
ties. In  1876  it  was  deemed  best  to  yield  to  the  popular  de- 
mand for  a  free  school  and  convert  the  academy  into  a  public 
high  school.  Giles  M.  Langworthy,  Lodwick  C.  York,  James 
Bailey,  Charlotte  W.  Dexter,  and  Charles  W.  White  were 
teachers  in  the  select  school ;  and  after  it  was  chartered  as  an 
academy,  among  its  principals  and  teachers  we  tind  the  names 
of  Lodwick  C.  York,  Philander  Wood,  Riley  T.  Taylor,  Fer- 
ris Scott,  Edwin  Whitford,  James  H.  Messenger,  A.  R.  Corn- 
wall, a  Mr.  Robinson,  Gilbert  Jeffreys,  D.  M.  Haggart,  W.  D. 
Williams,  and  a  Mr.  Richmond. 

UNION  ACADEMY, 

I848-I882. 

Late  in  the  autumn  of  1848  Rev.  Ethan  P.  Larkin  openea 
a  select  school  in  Shiloh,  N.  J.,  and  in  the  following  spring  he 
secured  its  incorporation  as  Union  Academy.  Among  the 
promoters  of  this  enterprise  were  such  men  as  Dr.  George 
Tomlinson,  Deacon  L  D.  Titsworth,  who  at  that  time  resided 
in  that  part  of  the  State ,  Isaac  West,  and  Hon.  Lewis  Howell. 

This  was  the  pioneer  school  of  academic  grade,  in  South 
Jersey,  and  was  of  great  value  in  educating  many  young  people 
in  all  that  section  of  the  State.  Professor  Larkin,  assisted  by 
Miss  Susan  E.  Crandall  as  preceptress,  and  Miss  Amanda  M. 
Crandall  teacher  of  music,  continued  as  principal  for  nearly 
three  years.  During  this  period  he  rendered  much  valuable 
scientific  assistance  to  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  State, 
hy  securing  a  thorough  analysis  of  the,  large  deposits  of  marl 
in  that  vicinity,  and  demonstrating  their  great  value  in  fertiliz- 
ing and  restoring  the  exhausted  soils. 

He  was  succeeded  in  185 1  by  Rev.  W:  C.  Whitford,  as- 
sisted by  his  wife,  Mrs.  Ruth  H.  Whitford.  They  remained  in 
charge  of  the  school  two  years,  during  which  time  it  continued 
to  increase  in  attendance  and  usefulness.  Lectures  on  agri- 
cultural chemistry  were  given  by  Professor  Gurdon  Evans 
(35) 


EXTINCT    SCHOOLS.  561 

in  the  winter  terms  of  those  two  years.  For  the  succeeding 
ten  years  the  school  was  conducted  by  the  following  princi- 
pals :  C.  Rollin  Burdick,  W.  A.  Rogers,  James  Williams, 
George  E.  Tomlinson,  and  Charles  H.  Thompson.  In  1863 
O.  U.  Whitford,  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Whitford,  were  se- 
cured to  take  charge  of  the  academy.  During  the  following 
six  years  of  their  leadership  some  marked  changes  took  place 
in  its  advancement  and  rank  as  an  institution  for  higher  edu- 
cation. A  new  and  commodious  building  was  erected  at  a 
cost  of  $10,000  in  1867,  the  attendance  was  increased,  and  the 
class  work  was  thoroughly  reorganized.  In  1869  Professor 
Whitford  resigned  in  order  that  he  might  enter  upon  a  course 
of  theological  studies  in  Union  Theological  -Seminary,  in  New 
York  City.  The  following  named  principals  in  turn  succeed- 
ed him :  B.  G.  Ames,  Gurdon  Evans,  W.  C.  Titsworth,  G.  IM. 
Cottrell,  Samuel  Howell,  Lewis  Howell,  J.  W.  Morton,  and 
Miss  Anna  Davis.  Then,  in  the  year  1882,  the  school  ceased 
to  be  known  as  Union  Academy  and  was  transformed  into  a 
free  public  school. 

FARMINGTON    ACADEMY,  .   '     ^  '^ 

1849-1852. 

In  1849  ^^  academy  was  established  in  Farmington,  Illi- 
nois, where  there  was  a  small  church  of  Sabbath-keepers,  and 
was  under  the  management  of  Professor  James  Hill.  A  com- 
modious brick  building  had  been  constructed  for  the  school, 
and  for  several  terms  it  was  attended  by  nearly  a  hundred 
students.  But  the  hopes  of  its  founders  were  not  fullv  real- 
ized, and  after  about  three  years  it  passed  into  the  hands  of 
First-day  people.  Its  life  as  a  Seventh-day  Baptist  institu- 
tion was  too  brief  to  render  any  very  permanent  service  to  our 
people. 

ALBION   ACADEMY, 
I 854- I 894. 

Albion  Academy  had  its  origin  in  an  action  taken  by  the 
North-Western  Association  a  year  or  two  i)revious  to  the  es- 
lablishment  of  the  school.  There  was  a  movement  to  found 
a  denominational  school  that  should  be  under  the  control  of 
the  Association.     For  several  years  there  had  been  an  acade- 


562  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

my  at  Milton.  But  the  people  of  Albion  desired  that  the  pro- 
posed school  to  be  under  the  care  of  the  Association  should  be 
located  at  Albion.  At  a  session  of  the  Association  held  in 
1852  or  1853  it  was  voted  that  the  place  which  should  obtain 
the  largest  subscription  in  its  favor  should  have  the  school. 
The  result  of  the  canvass  was  in  favor  of  Albion,  and  the 
school  was  located  there.  But  the  friends  of  Milton  Academy 
vicre  unwilling  to  abandon  their  cherished  hopes  of  making  a 
permanent  and  successful  school  of  the  one  that  had  already 
been  established  for  nearly  ten  years.  Hence,  from  the  open- 
ing of  the  Albion  Academy  in  the  fall  of  1854  to  its  close  as  a 
denominational  school  in  1894,  a  period  of  forty  years,  there 
was  a  spirit  of  rivalry  between  the  two  schools,  situated  only 
about  ten  miles  apart,  which  may  have  acted  as  a  wholesome 
stimulous  to  each.  Undoubtedly  many  more  people  received 
the  advantages  of  a  good  education  through  the  existence  of 
both  schools  than  would  have  occurred  had  there  been  but 
one. 

Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams  was  the  first  principal  of  Al- 
bion Academy,  and  his  wife,  preceptress.  They  labored  thus 
for  seven  years,  being  assisted  during  that  time  by  L.  Pope, 
J.  L.  Hicock,  J.  A.  Badger,  Daniel  B.  Maxson,  Miss  Eliza 
Potter,  Miss  A.  A.  Luce,  Mrs.  J,  L.  Hicock,  and  in  music  Miss 
Helen  Clarke,  and  Mrs.  Clarrisa  Livermore.  Also  Rev.  A.  R. 
Cornwall  was  associate  principal  for  five  years,  and  upon  the 
resignation  of  Professor  Williams  in  1861  Professor  Corn- 
wall assumed  the  full  control  of  the  school,  in  which  capacity 
he  remained  until  the  close  of  the  fall  term  of  1878.  Professor 
Cornwall  was  aided  by  C.  H.  Tompson,  Rev.  A.  B.  Prentice, 
who  conducted  the  school  one  year  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Corn- 
v/all ;  and  by  Professors  E.  C.  Beach,  J.  Beardsley,  Thure 
Kumlien,  and  R.  B.  Anderson.  Miss  Marian  W.  Grim  (af- 
terward Mrs.  A.  B.  Prentice),  served  as  preceptress  one  year, 
1863-4.  Professor  Cornwall  was  succeeded  by  Edwin  Marsh 
as  principal  from  winter  term  1878  to  the  close  of  the  spring 
term  1880.  From  that  time  until  the  fall  of  1883  the  school 
was  closed.  Then  F.  E.  Williams  became  principal  and  re- 
mained two  years.  After  the  school  was  conducted  by  S.  L. 
Maxson.  Charles  Clark,  and  D.  E.  Willard,  each  serving  as 
principal  for  periods  which  the  writer  cannot  definitely  state, 


EXTINCT    SCHOOLS.  563 

it  was  finally  decided  by  the  Trustees  in  charge  that  it  would 
not  be  wise  to  continue  the  struggle  for  existence  as  a  denomi- 
national school ;  accordingly,  in  1894  the  school  property,  con- 
sisting of  three  commodious  brick  buildings,  erected  at  a  cost 
of  $18,500,  and  situated  on  a  beautiful  tract  of  land  of  ten 
acres,  was  sold  to  Professor  Peter  Hendrickson,  who  conduct- 
ed the  academy  as  a  private  enterprise  until  about  one  year 
ago.  He  then  sold  his  interests  therein  to  the  Norwegian 
Lutherans,  who  are  now  in  possession,  with  Rev.  D.  G.  Ristad 
as  principal. 

\Miile  /\lbion  Academy  remained  as  a  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist school  it  was  most  loyally  sustained  and  encouraged  by  the 
strong  church  and  community  in  which  it  was  situated.  But 
even  so  brief  a  history  as  this  must  be,  should  not  fail  to  men- 
lion  in  particular,  Dr.  C.  R.  Head,  who,  during  the  entire  his- 
tory of  the  school,  for  a  period  of  forty  years,  was  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  a  most  efficient  worker,  and 
contributed  largely  to  its  maintenance. 

NEW   MARKET  SEMINARY, 
1854-1861. 

The  same  year  that  Albion  Academy  was  founded  in  the 
North-Western  Association,  there  was  a  school  started  in  New 
Market,  N.  J.,  and  called  the  New  Market  Seminary.  Its 
leading  promoters  were  Rev.  H.  H.  Baker,  Hon.  David  Dunn, 
Deacon  I.  D.  Titsworth,  Martin  Dunn,  Jacob  Titsworth,  I.  H. 
Dunn,  Jeremiah  Dunn,  and  James  C.  Ayers. 

Mrs.  Ruth  H.  Whitford  was  secured  as  the  first  principal, 
and  the  school  was  opened  in  March,  1854.  Rev.  W.  C.  Whit- 
ford, the  late  President  of  Milton  College,  was  then  pursuing 
a  course  in  Union  Theological  Seminary,  New  York.  After  a 
few  terms  were  taught  in  the  upper  room  of  the  public  school 
building,  and  in  one  or  two  private  houses,  a  stock  company 
was  formed,  a  beautiful  site  secured,  and  a  convenient  building 
erectec^  For  a  few  years  the  school  was  very  helpful  in  the 
education  of  a  good  number  of  young  people  for  life's  duties 
and  in  preparing  others  to  enter  still  higher  schools.  But  the 
public  schools  of  the  times  were  also  aspiring  to  give  the  masses 
better  educational  facilities,  and  in  1861  this  seminary  gave 


564  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

way  to  the  popular  demand  for  free  public  schools  of  better 
grades. 

Among  the  principals  who  succeeded  Mrs.  Whitford  were 
Miss  Miranda  Fisher,  Miss  Josephine  Wilcox,  Miss  Augusta 

F.  Green,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Coon,  James  Stillman,  and  Miss  Sarah 
Denton. 

WEST  HALLOCK^ 

1857. 

The  year  1857  gave  birth  to  a  greater  number  of  academic 
schools  among  Seventh-day  Baptists  than  any  other  year  in  our 
history.  The  people  of  West  Hallock,  111.,  were  interested  in 
encouraging  efforts  to  provide  opportunities  for  their  young 
men  and  young  women  to  keep  abreast  with  the  spirit  of  the 
times  in  education.  A  suitable  building  was  erected,  which  for 
a  time,  would  serve  the  double  purpose  of  providing  for  a 
school  of  academic  grade,  and  also  furnish  a  place  for  holding 
religious  services  on  the  Sabbath.  But  their  hopes  were  never 
fully  realized.     The  school  was  continued  but  a  short  time. 

G.  Asher  Williams  was  its  first  teacher  and  principal.  He 
was  succeeded  by  James  Stillman.  Neither  funds  nor  patron- 
age were  sufficient  to  encourage  its  continuance. 

BIG  FOOT  ACADEMY, 
1857-1881. 

At  Walworth,  Wis.,  situated  on  Big  Foot  Prairie,  was 
another  growing  society  of  Seventh-day  Baptists,  who  were 
also  thirsting  for  larger  draughts  from  the  fountain  of  knowl- 
edge. To  satisfy  this  need  a  substantial  brick  building  was 
constructed  in  1857,  two  stories  high,  and  at  a  cost  of  $4,000, 
to  be  used  as  a  school  building  and  for  Sabbath  worship.  The 
school  was  named  Big  Foot  Academy,  and  was  opened  in  the 
fall  of  1857  with  Daniel  B.  Maxson  principal. 

This  school  had  a  liberal  local  patronage  for  twenty-four 
years  and  was  then  changed  into  a  high  school  according  to 
the  provisions  of  the  township  system  of  public  graded  schools 
in  that  State.  As  an  academy  it  exerted  a  wholesome  influ- 
ence over  all  that  locality  and  gave  the  Walworth  church  and 
society  of  Seventh-day  Baptists  an  enviable  reputation  as  pro- 
moters of  education,  sobriety  and  good  citizenship.  The  prin- 
cipals who  conducted   the  academy  after  the  resignation  of 


EXTINCT    SCHOOLS.  565 

Professor  Daniel  B.  Maxson,  were  J.  A.  Badger,  H.  C.  Coon, 
A.  R.  Crandall,  W.  C.  Titsworth,  L.  E.  Livermore,  J.  S.  Max- 
son.  Frank  Place,  O.  E.  Larkin,  F.  O.  Burdick  and  M.  G.  Still- 
man. 

PETERSBURG. 

The  same  year,  1857,  a  school  of  academic  grade  was  in- 
stituted by  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  in  Petersburg,  N.  Y.,  and  was 
conducted  by  L.  E.  Livermore  as  principal,  assisted  by  Charles 
H.  Thompson,  in  higher  mathematics,  Miss  Frances  E.  Still- 
man  in  music,  and  Miss  L.  E.  Maxson  in  oil  painting  and  cray- 
oning. This  school  was  continued  until  the  spring  of  1859. 
Its  distance  from  the  village  and  the  difficulty  experienced  in 
securing  satisfactory  boarding  places  for  the  students  led  to 
the  abandonment  of  the  project. 

WEST  UNION. 

In  the  South-Eastern  Association  an  academy  at  West 
Union,  W.  Va.,  w^as  reported  in  1857  as  having  been  former- 
ly under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  and  as  then  being 
taught  by  Isaiah  Bee.  But  we  have  no  further  data  concern- 
ing its  existence  or  work. 

HOPKINTON    ACADEMY, 
1857-1869. 

The  following  history  of  Hopkinton  Academy  has  been 
kindly  furnished  by  William  L.  Clarke  for  this  occasion: 

In  the  fall  of  1857  a  select  school  was  opened  at  Ashaway 
by  William  L.  Clarke,  and  continued  for  two  years.  There 
was  no  suitable  building  for  such  a  school,  and  rooms  were 
taken  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Silas  Greenman  house,  the 
old  tenement  house  now  owned  by  Mrs.  M.  A.  Wells.  These 
were  too  small  for  the  accommodation  of  applicants,  and  when 
the  winter  had  passed  the  school  was  removed  to  Lincoln  Hall. 
When  winter  returned,  these  quarters  were  not  comfortable, 
and  the  school  was  again  removed  to  the  lower  floor  of  the 
house  now  owned  and  occupied  by  P.  M.  Barber.  There  it 
continued  until  its  termination  in  June,  1859. 

The  students  and  community  became  deeply  interested  in 
the  school,  and  plainly  saw  the  need  of  better  facilities.  We 
quote  the  first  entry  in  the  Stockholders'  Record  of  Hopkinton 
Academv. 


566  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

"HoPKiNTON,  Aug.  7,  1858. 

"At  a  meeting  called  by  the  friends  of  education,  and  held 
in  the  vestry  of  the  First  Seventh-day  Baptist  meeting  house 
of  Hopkinton,  R.  L,  the  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Rev. 
Joshua  Clarke. 

"Voted,  That  William  Potter  be  chairman  and  S.  S.  Carr 
Secretary. 

"Resolution  presented  by  Elder  J.  Clarke : 

"Resolved,  That  an  academy  is  the  imperative  need  of  the 
youth  in  this  community,  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  parents, 
guardians  and  friends  of  education  to  erect  such. an  institution 
as  soon  as  practicable. 

"The  resolution  was  discussed  by  Elder  Clarke,  T.  M. 
Clarke,  J.  D.  Babcock,  and  N.  Saunders,  and  then  adopted. 

"Voted,  That  a  committee  of  fifteen  be  appointed  to  ascer- 
tain the  amount  of  funds  that  will  probably  be  necessary  to 
raise  for  such  an  institution,  and  report  at  next  meeting. 

"Voted,  That  Joshua  Clarke,  Joseph  Potter,  O.  B.  Irish, 
S.  C.  Carr,  J.  R.  Wells,  William  Potter,  Henry  Langworthy, 
T.  M.  Clarke,  Daniel  Babcock,  N.  K.  Lewis,  J.  L.  Spencer, 
J.  D.  Babcock,  Nathan  Saunders,  George  Irish  and  William 
L.  Clarke  be  the  committee. 

"Adjourned  to  August  22,  1858,  at  8  p.  m.  at  this  place. 

"S.  C.  Carr,  Secretary." 

On  October  16,  1858,  a  committee  of  one  was  appointed 
"to  circulate  a  subscription  paper  and  solicit  aid  for  the  erec- 
tion and  establishment  of  an  academy  to  be  located  on  lot  now 
owned  by  Mrs.  Lucy  Maxson."  At  a  meeting  held  four  days 
later,  $2,525.00  was  reported  as  subscribed.  The  charter  was 
granted  July  6,  1859,  and  the  school  began  in  December  fol- 
lowing. Professor  J.  W.  Morton,  Principal ;  Mrs.  Henry  C. 
Coon,  Preceptress ;  H.  C.  Coon,  Assistant ;  Frances  E.  Still- 
man,  Music  Teacher;  Harriet  E.  McOmber,  Primary  Teacher 
during  spring  term,  and  until  fall  of  1861,  when  the  Primary 
Department  was  discontinued. 

These  teachers  remained  until  the  close  of  the  school  year 
for  I 86 I -2. 

In  1862  the  fall  term  was  omitted.     Then  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


MRS.    MARIE   S.   WILLIAMS. 

Author  of  the  Historical  Sketch  of  DeRuyter  Institute. 

See     Biographical   Sketches,   p.   136L 


EXTINCT    SCHOOLS.  '  567 

H.  C.  Coon  took  charge  of  the  school  until  the  close  of  the 
school  year  of  1864-5. 

From  1865  to  1867  A.  A.  Palmiter  was  principal,  and 
Amos  C.  Lewis  followed  for  one  and  two-third  years,  resigning 
at  the  close  of  the  winter  term  of  1868-9  on  account  of  his  im- 
paired health,  and  the  school  was  then  discontinued. 

Of  the  aforesaid  committee  of  fifteen,  appointed  August  7, 
1858,  each,  excepting  George  Irish,  served  at  some  time  as 
Trustee  of  the  academy,  together  with  Rev.  Joshua  Clarke, 
Rev.  A.  B.  Burdick,  John  AI.  Barber,  William  Potter,  Jr.,  Wil- 
liam A.  Langworthy,  C.  C.  Lewis.  Jr.,  Oliver  Langworthy, 
C.  N.  Andrews,  Peter  C.  Wells.  Lester  Crandall.  G.  G.  Still- 
man,  John  Cundall,  J.  Larkin,  Welcome  B.  Babcock,  Paul  M. 
Barber  2d,  S.  C.  W^ells,  E.  Blake  and  George  B.  Carpenter. 

Soon  after  the  discontinuation  of  the  school  the  Joint 
School  District,  Nos.  2  and  4,  of  Hopkinton,  and  8,  of  Wes- 
terly, was  formed,  and  the  academy  property  deeded  to  said 
district,  where,  ever  since  that  date,  an  excellent  graded  school, 
with  a  High  School  Department,  has  been  maintained,  at  an 
average  annual  expense  exceeding  three  thousand  dollars. 

DERUYTER  INSTITUTE, 
1836-1874. 

Deep  in  the  heart  of  an  earnest,  consecrated,  young  man, 
Vv'ho  hungered  for  the  higher  educational  advantages  that  could 
not  be  found  in  the  humble  denomination  of  his  choice,  was 
planted  the  germ  from  which  grew  DeRuyter  Institute. 

Alexander  Campbell  came  of  sturdy,  Presbyterian  par- 
entage, and  having,  from  childhood,  strong  religious  convic- 
tions early  became  a  disciple  of  Christ.  At  the  age  of  six- 
teen, though  much  in  advance  of  his  associates,  he  thirsted  for 
a  thorough  education  and  faithfully  made  use  of  all  the  means 
of  self-improvement  within  his  reach. 

When  a  young  man  of  twenty,  he  came  under  the  minis- 
trations of  Elder  Russell  Wells,  who  was  working  as  an  evan- 
gelist in  Adams  Centre.  N.  Y.  Attracted  l)y  curiosity  to  see 
one  who  "kept  Saturday  for  the  Sabbath."  and  being  favorably 
impressed  with  the  spirituality  of  the  man.  and  also  by  his 
leaching,  he  began  to  investigate  the  Biblical  authority  for  the 
observance  of  Sundav.     Failing  to  find  this,  he  was  brought 


568  SEVIiNTH-DAY    UAPTISTS: 

to  a  decision  to  identify  himself  with  Seventh-day  Baptists. 
The  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  was  a 
member,  spent  the  whole  night  in  an  effort  to  convince  him 
that  his  path  of  duty  still  lay  with  that  body  which  stood  ready 
to  provide,  without  cost  to  himself,  what  he  so  intensely  de- 
sired, a  liberal  education,  both  literary  and  theological.  As  a 
final  appeal  his  pastor  said,  "If  you  leave  us  I  cannot  see  any 
other  home  for  you  except  among  the  Seventh-day  Baptists 
and  they  are  a  very  small,  illiterate  people.  They  have  no  lit- 
erary institution  among  them  and  they  cannot  offer  you  any 
encouraging  prospect  of  usefulness.  How  can  you  be  con- 
formed to  shut  yourself  up  among  that  ignorant  people  and 
abandon  all  hope  of  future  usefulness?" 

It  was  during  that  struggle  between  desire  and  duty  that 
Alexander  Campbell  registered  the  vow  that  should  his  lot  be 
cast  with  Seventh-day  Baptists  he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to 
remove  this  reproach  and  to  further  the  cause  of  education 
in  that  denomination. 

A  few  years  later  found  him  the  beloved  pastor  of  the 
DeRuyter  church.  Elder  William  B.  Maxson,  Elder  Eli  S. 
Bailey  and  Elder  Campbell  were  leading  spirits  in  the  denomi- 
nation. A  few  young  men,  failing  to  find  any  advantages  for 
liberal  culture  among  their  own  people,  were  seeking  it  at 
Brown  University  and  Union  College.  Elder  Campbell  says, 
"It  frequently  came  to  my  ears  that  some  of  our  young  men 
of  promise  were  drifting  away  from  us  because  the  advantages 
they  sought  could  not  be  obtained  among  us.  I  began  to  feel 
intensely  upon  the  subject."  Constrained  by  this  fact  he  con- 
sulted his  most  intimate  friend  and  adviser,  Deacon  Henry 
Crandall,  and  they  together  counselled  with  Dr.  Ira  Spencer, 
with  the  result  that  a  public  meeting  of  the  citizens  was  called 
of  which  Le  Baron  Goodwin,  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  was 
made  chairman.  A  committee  was  appointed  which  drafted 
the  following  resolution  and  presented  it  at  a  subsequent  meet- 
ing: "Whereas.  The  Seventh-day  Baptist  people  are  disposed 
to  make  an  effort  to  establish  an  institution  of  learning  in  De- 
Ruyter, or  in  its  vicinity,  to  be  owned  and  controlled  by  that 
people ;  therefore,  Resolved,  That  we,  the  citizens  of  DeRuy- 
ter and  vicinity,  will  subscribe  for  said  institution  the  sum  of 
three  thousand   dollars   upon  condition   that   the   Seventh-day 


K 


RKV.  ali-:xaxui<:r  campf.1':ll 

See   Dio graphical   Sketches,    p.  1361. 


EXTINCT    SCHOOLS.  569 

Baptists  erect  a  suitable  building  for  such  high  school,  in  or 
near  this  village,  that  shall  cost  ten  thousand  dollars."  This 
resolution  was  carried  without  opposition  and  Elder  Camp- 
bell was  appointed  to  circulate  a  subscription  among  the  citi- 
zens to  obtain  the  $3,000  pledged.  Acting  trustees  were 
chosen  who  also  appointed  him  their  agent  to  canvass  the  de- 
nomination for  subscriptions  to  complete  the  $10,000  needed. 
In  performing  the  duties  of  this  agency  he  made  the  tour  of 
tiie  denomination  three  times  in  three  years,  securing  pledges 
and  collecting  the  same.  During  these  visits  his  efforts  were 
by  no  means  confined  to  the  presentation  of  financial  matters, 
but  he  awakened  the  people  of  the  several  localities  to  a  strong 
sense  of  the  need  of  higher  education  and  held  many  revival 
meetings  in  various  churches. 

When  nearly  $10,000  was  pledged  a  legal  organization 
was  effected  and  Elder  Campbell  appointed  General  Agent  to 
look  after  the  enterprise,  thus  making  him  its  executive  head. 
The  incorporators  were  Samuel  P.  Burdick,  Ira  Spencer,  Al- 
exander Campbell.  Elmer  D.  Jencks,  Matthew  Wells,  Jr.,  Ben- 
jamin Enos,  William  Maxson,  Henry  Crandall,  Eli  S.  Bailey,' 
Perry  Burdick,  John  Maxson  and  Ephraim  Arnold.  All 
tiiese  have  long  since  passed  to  their  reward. 

A  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  was  secured  in  the  heart  of 
the  present  village,  the  design  being  to  institute  an  agricultural 
department  in  connection  with  the  school,  a  plan  never  made 
practical.  A  part  of  this  was  used  as  the  site  of  a  stone  build- 
ing "64  by  90,  including  the  wings,"  which  was  built  at  a  cost 
of  $32,000. 

The  stone  used  in  the  structure,  with  the  exception  of 
those  for  the  massive  front  steps,  which  were  brought  from 
Manlins  all  cut  and  ready  to  set,  were  obtained  at  five  different 
places  within  a  few  miles  of  DeRuyter.  The  sand  for  the  mor- 
tar came  from  the  Pardon  Coon  farm,  five  miles  north  of  the 
village,  and  the  timber  was  cut  near  by  and  prepared  in  the  old 
Red  Mill.  The  beautiful  maples,  now  surrounding  the 
grounds,  were  set  by  contract  at  eighteen  cents  each  and  were 
taken  from  the  adjacent  woods. 

Work  on  the  building  was  commenced  in  the  spring  of 
1836  and  late  in  that  year  the  plant  of  the  Protestant  Sentinel 
was  moved  into  it  and  the  paper  sent  out  from  there.     In  the 


570  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

early  spring  of  1837,  as  the  building  was  near  completion,  a 
Primary  Department  was  taught  for  one  term  under  the  ef- 
ficient direction  of  Miss  Robinson,  of  Troy,  N.  Y. 

In  the  autumn  of  that  year  the  institution  was  formally 
opened  with  Eber  M.  Rollo  as  principal  and  Miss  Mary  L. 
Bonney  as  preceptress.  These  did  excellent  work.  The  at- 
tendance the  first  term  was  140.  There  was  no  one  among 
our  own  people  yet  qualified  to  fill  these  responsible  positions, 
but  Solomon  Carpenter  was  then  in  Brown  University  and 
Miss  Lucy  Clark  was  attending  a  Ladies'  Seminary  in  the 
West.  They  were  married  and  entered  upon  their  work  as 
principal  and  preceptress  in  the  autumn  of  1838.  Their  oc- 
cupancy of  these  positions  was  comparatively  brief  as  tl^eir 
chosen  life  work  was  on  the  foreign  mission  field,  to  which 
they  subsequently  went.  During  the  first  school  year,  1837- 
1838,  the  attendance  was  216. 

When  the  time  arrived  that  Elder  and  Mrs.  Carpenter 
must  be  regretfully  released,  correspondence  was  held  with 
William  C.  Kenyon,  then  of  Schenectady,  but  his  services  were 
1  ejected  because  his  penmanship  was  not  pleasing  to  some 
members  of  the  Board  of  Trsutees  and  so  DeRuyter  missed 
what  Alfred  enjoyed  in  the  labors  of  this  efficient  and  conse- 
crated teacher. 

The  itinerary  of  the  churches  resulted  in  a  general  awak- 
ening to  the  need  of  educational  advantages  and  students  from 
the  East  and  the  West  were  in  attendance.  Being  strangers  in 
a  strange  land,  many  of  them  were  hospitably  received  into 
the  home  of  their  one  acquaintance.  Elder  Campbell,  who  with 
his  estimable  wife  did  all  that  was  possible  to  make  them  feel 
at  home,  but  with  board  at  $1.25  a  week  and  flour  $10  a  barrel 
we  may  well  believe  Elder  Campbell  when  he  says,  "the  profit 
was  out  of  pocket." 

Following  Elder  Carpenter's  principalship,  Giles  M.  Lang- 
vvorthy  and  Miss  Caroline  Wilcox  were  at  the  head  of  the 
school.  They  were  succeeded  at  the  end  of  the  year  by  M.  L. 
Wood  and  Miss  Severance. 

The  school  year  was  divided  into  three  terms  of  fourteen 
weeks  each.  Tuition  was  $2.00  to  $3.50  a  term  for  elementary 
instruction  and  $5.00  for  higher  studies.  The  school  attempted 


EXTINCT    SCHOOLS.  57I 

little  in  the  way  of  instruction  besides  such  work  as  is  now  of- 
fered in  preparatory  academies  or  the  High  Schools  of  cities 
and  large  villages.  This  instruction  was  necessarily  elemen- 
Lary  and  depended  much  upon  the  qualifications  of  both  in- 
structor and  pupil. 

The  institution  was  titted  with  dormitories  for  both  ladies 
and  gentlemen.  "Students  rooming  in  the  building  must  fur- 
nish their  own  bedding."'  The  old  original  folding  bed  was 
one  of  the  furnishings  of  the  room.  In  1839  the  Trustees  of 
DeRuyter  Institute  sang  the  praises  of  its  location  as  follows : 
"Among  the  many  advantages  which  DeRuyter  affords  may  be 
leckoned  the  purity  of  its  water,  the  agreeableness  of  its  natural 
scenery  and  its  facility  of  communication  with  all  parts  of  the 
country,  there  being  three  daily  stages  passing  through  it !" 
Vv'e  can  hear  in  memory  the  early  blast  of  the  stage  horn  and 
see  the  lumbering  vehicle  come  in  at  night  loaded  with  accum- 
ulations from  the  horrible  roads.  One  smiles  now  at  the  "fa- 
cility of  communication"  which  DeRuyter  enjoyed  in  those 
days. 

J.  D.  B.  Stillman  was  principal  for  a  year.  At  the  close 
of  his  administration  the  property  was  sold  on  a  mortgage  and 
the  school  was  closed  for  a  time.  The  financial  difficulties  be- 
ing adjusted,  Elder  James  R.  Irish  was  called  to  the  principal- 
ship  about  the  year  1845.  He  occupied  the  position  for  twelve 
years  with  the  exception  of  one,  during  which  Gurdon  Evans 
was  at  the  head  of  the  school.  Among  the  assistants  were 
J.  W.  Morton,  Miss  Aurilla  Rogers,  IVIrs.  Ambrose  Spicer, 
Miss  Caroline  Maxson,  Miss  Josephine  Wilcox,  IMiss  Miranda 
Fisher  and  others.  During  the  administration  of  Elder  Irish 
the  Trustees  made  it  painfully  clear  that  the  income  from  the 
school  must,  through  the  principal,  pay  the  several  instructors, 
including  his  own  salary  of  $600,  and  that  in  no  instance  must 
the  trustees  be  held  responsible  for  any  deficiencv. 

DeRuyter  Institute  was  reincorporated  in  1847  by  the  Re- 
gents of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York  and  it  was 
required  that  all  the  incorporators  should  be  Seventh-dav  Bap- 
tists. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Trustees,  held  August  25th,  1848,  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted :  "Rcsok'cd,  That  C.  A. 
Burdick  be  employed  as  bellman  the  ensuing  term  and  that 


572  SEVENTH-DAY    BAPTISTS: 

William  A.  Rogers  be  sweeper  for  the  like  term  of  time," 
and  later  Charles  A.  Burdick  was,  by  resolution,  instructed  to 
"ring  the  bell  right"  and  "in  case  of  absence  he  should  furnish 
a  substitute  to  perform  the  like  service  in  the  same  manner," 
The  use  of  tobacco  and  intoxicants  was  strictly  prohibited. 

In  1865  the  Central  Association  undertook  the  task  of 
serving  the  school  which  had  suffered  from  lack  of  patronage 
because  of  the  multiplication  of  schools  of  higher  education  so 
that  its  income  was  not  sufficient  to  pay  expenses.  Herman 
Hull,  of  Brookfield,  was  called  to  the  work  of  raising  an  en- 
dowment of  $10,000.  Albert  Whitford,  of  Milton  College, 
was  elected  principal  and  Mrs.  Whitford  accepted  the  position 
of  preceptress.  Misses  Ella  Weaver,  Sarah  Summerbell, 
Miriam  M.  Jones,  and  others  were  engaged  as  assistants.  This 
period  being  at  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  a  large  number  of 
returned  soldiers  were  among  the  students.  These  were  re- 
joicing in  freedom  from  military  restraint  and  were  somewhat 
lestive  under  what  they  considered  rigid  discipline  in  the 
school. 

The  standard  of  scholarship  was  raised  under  Principal 
Whitford's  administration  and  excellent  work  was  done. 

Later  Professor  Forte,  of  Cazenovia.  with  Dr.  H.  C.  Coon 
ss  assistant  and  Mrs.  Coon  as  preceptress,  were  secured  as 
teachers.  L.  E.  Livermore  succeeded  Professor  Forte  and 
continued  in  the  school  as  long  as  it  was  maintained  as  an 
academy. 

The  cost  of  sustaining  the  school  was  so  much  greater 
than  its  income,  that  despite  the  heroic  eff'orts  of  its  friends  it 
was  impossible  to  continue  it  longer  as  an  academy.  In  1874, 
on  the  establishment  of  a  Union  Free  School,  the  building  was 
purchased  for  $2,535.00  and  has  since  been  occupied  by  the 
public  school. 

The  instructors  of  DeRuyter  Institute  were,  perhaps,  with- 
out exception,  men  and  women  of  sterling  character  and  deep 
consecration  and  left  their  impress  for  good  on  the  young  men 
and  women  under  their  charge.  Who  shall  judge  how  far- 
reaching  that  influence  has  been? 

All  honor  to  DeRuyter  Institute,  founded  in  the  tears  and 
prayers,  and  heroic  labors  of  Elder  Alexander  Campbell  and 
his  faithful  coadjutors,  and  to  the  members  of  the  Seventh- 


EXTINCT    SCHOOLS.  573 

day  Baptist  denomination,  both  East  and  West,  who  contrib- 
uted more  than  $20,000  to  build  and  equip  a  school  of  higher 
education.  Without  these  many,  and  generous  gifts,  DeRuy- 
ter  Institute  could  not  have  been. 

All  honor  to  those  noble  teachers,  men  and  women, 
through  whose  heroism  and  self-sacrifice  that  institution  was 
fostered  and  for  many  years  sustained. 

To  enumerate  the  names  of  all  its  students  who  have  gone 
out  to  be  a  blessing  to  the  world  would  be  beyond  the  scope 
of  this  paper.  Among  those  called  to  the  Christian  ministry 
and  honored  in  its  service  are  the  names  of  James  Bailey.  Les- 
ter Courtland  Rogers,  Thomas  R.  Williams,  Elston  M.  Dunn, 
Benjamin  F.  Rogers,  Joshua  Clarke,  O.  U.  Whitford,  Charles 
A.  Burdick  and  David  H.  Davis.  Among  educators,  William 
C.  Whitford,  William  A.  Rogers,  Albert  Whitford,  Henry  C. 
Coon,  Francis  M.  Burdick  and  many  others.  Some  of  both 
these  classes  have  done  double  duty  as  pastors  and  teachers. 
In  the  w^orld  of  business,  Charles  Potter,  George  H.  Babcock, 
Ira  J.  Ordway  and  scores  of  others.  In  literature,  William 
James  Stillman,  Charles  Dudley  Warner  and  Mrs.  M.  F.  Butts 
have  gained  a  world-wide  reputation. 

Within  the  sacred  walls  of  DeRuyter  Institute  were  awak- 
ened in  the  hearts  of  these,  and  many  others,  a  desire  for 
knowledge  and  that  incentive  to  higher  culture  w^hich  sent  them 
out  to  other  and  more  advanced  institutions  to  obtain  the  nec- 
essary preparation  for  the  high  achievements  of  their  later 
career. 

All  honor  then  to  DeRuyter  Institute,  the  pioneer  of  high- 
er education  in  the  denomination.  It  has  been  a  great  blessing 
in  the  community  w.here  it  was  located ;  it  has  been  an  inspira- 
tion to  higher  culture  for  our  whole  denomination ;  it  has  sent 
out  a  grand  company  of  men  and  women  eminent  in  the  various 
walks  of  life  and  a  blessing  to  the  world. 

The  writer  wishes  to  acknowledge  valuable  data  for  this 
papei'  furnished  by  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  Professor  Albert 
Whitford,  and  Mr.  Charles  H.  Green,  and  also  that  gleaned 
from  the  autobiography  of  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell. 


SABBATH  EVANGELIZING 

AND    INDUSTRIAL 

ASSOCIATION 

1898. 


(36) 


WILLIAM  C.  HUBBARD. 

Author  of  the  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Sabbath  Ei'ange- 

licing  and  Industrial  Association. 

See   Biographical   Sketches,    p.   1361. 


SABBATH   EVANGELIZING   AND   INDUS- 
TRIAL  ASSOCIATION. 


William    C.    Hubbard. 


The  problem  of  industrial  missions  is  not  an  entirely  new 
subject  with  our  denomination,  but  only  during  the  past  few 
years  has  our  interest  in  this  form  of  work  been  renewed, 
through  the  inauguration  of  an  industrial  mission  in  Africa. 

For  the  sake  of  history,  let  us  briefly  rehearse  the  events 
leading  up  to  this  work. 

This  message  from  Africa  first  came  to  us  on  the  Sabbath, 
for  it  was  on  July  9,  1898,  that  Mr.  Joseph  Booth,  an  English- 
man by  birth  and  an  industrial  missionary  from  Nyassaland, 
British  Central  Africa,  occupied  the  pulpit  of  the  Plainfield 
Seventh-day  Baptist  church,  and  told  us  of  his  work  among 
the  negroes  of  Africa. 

Mr.  Booth  had  already  spent  many  years  in  Africa  in 
this  work,  founding  no  less  than  fifteen  industrial  mission  sta- 
tions along  Baptist  lines.  He  therefore  spoke  from  experi- 
ence and  with  authority.  During  his  remarks  he  stated  that 
ever  since  his  attention  had  been  called  to  the  Sabbath  by  a 
minister  in  Africa,  he  had  not  been  able  to  read  certain  Scrip- 
tures bearing  upon  the  subject  without  some  feeling  of  unrest ; 
but  that  he  had  not  given  the  question  serious  thought.  After 
a  full  and  free  discussion  of  the  subject  with  Dr.  A.  H.  Lewis 
and  Dr.  A.  E.  Main,  he  saw  the  Sabbath  in  the  true  light  and 
accepted  it.      Ilis  wife,  Annie  S.  Booth,  soon  joined  with  him. 


5/8  SEVENTH-DAV    BAPTISTS: 

and  offering'  themselves  for  membership,  both  united  with  the 
Plainfield  Seventh-day  Baptist  church  September  24,  1898. 
Thus  in  a  few  weeks  he  had  met  a  great  issue  squarely,  the 
decision  of  which  called  for  much  sacrifice  on  his  part,  placed 
new  obligations  on  us  and  opened  a  mission  field  where  the 
gospel  had  been  but  little  preached  and  the  Sabbath  truth  was 
unknown.  We  dared  not  refuse  to  enter  a  door  so  evidently 
opened  to  us. 

It  was  at  first  proposed  to  form  "The  Sabbath  Missionary 
Union,"  but  after  consultation  with  the  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Missionarv  Society,  it  was  thought  best  not  to  operate  accord- 
ing to  prevailing  missionary  methods,  but  to  incorporate  the 
Association  and  proceed  as  a  business  organization,  covering 
a  separate  field  in  an  entirely  different  manner. 

Accordingly,  on  January  30,  1899,  the  "Sabbath  Evangel- 
izing and  Industrial  Association"  was  regularly  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  which  are  very 
favorable  to  charitable  and  benevolent  corporations. 

Among  the  objects  of  the  Association  as  set  forth  in  the 
certificate  of  incorporation  was  the  "planting  in  Africa,  and 
other  countries,  of  Industrial  Missions  for  the  education  and 
training  of  the  natives  in  Christian  doctrine,  and  educating 
them  to  be  farmers,  mechanics  and  good  citizens,  and  develop- 
ing among  them  carefully  selected  industries  and  manufac- 
tures, and  devoting  the  proceeds  to  be  derived  therefrom  to 
the   support  and  duplication  of  such  mission  centers." 

We  are  aiming  to  establish  a  self-supporting  and  self- 
propagating  mission  on  Seventh-day  Baptist  principles. 

The  Association  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$20,000,  divided  into  four  annual  series  of  5,000  shares; 
value,  $1.00  each.  After  about  3,000  annual  shares  had  been 
sold,  it  was  thought  best  to  start  the  work,  and  Joseph  Booth, 
his  wife,  Annie  S.  Booth,  and  their  infant  daughter,  Mary, 
sailed  from  New  York  to  London,  April  19,  1899,  their  ulti- 
mate destination  being  Blantyre,  British  Central  Africa,  where 
they  arrived  T"ly  16,  1899. 

Mr.  Booth  started  at  once  to  look  for  a  suitable  location 
for  a  plantation,  and  was  followed  by  many  of  the  natives  who 
formerly  knew  him.       In  preaching  to  the  natives,  Mr.  Booth 


KVANGELIZINC;  A.VD  INDUSTRIAL  ASSOCIATION'.  579 

tauglit  the  Ten  Conimandments.  enip'liasizing  each.  The  na- 
tives began  questioning  whetlier  there  were  commandments 
for  white  and  dififerent  commandments  for  black  men.  Being 
assured  they  were  for  all  men  alike  they  were  aroused,  and, 
through  Air.  Booth,  petitioned  the  Queen  of  England  that 
they  be  "relieved  from  bearing  arms  against  their  brethren." 
that  "the  hut  tax  should  be  used  for  their  own  education," 
and  after  a  time,  "their  country  should  be  restored  to  them.  ' 

Mr.  Booth  was  held  responsible  for  this,  and  was  sum- 
moned before  her  majesty's  Consul  and  Commissioner-Gen- 
eral and  ordered  to  desist.  This  he  did,  but  was  ordered  to 
give  $2,500  as  surety  that  he  would  not  teach  the  natives  sedi- 
tious doctrines.  Not  having  this  amount,  there  was  no  alter- 
native for  him  but  to  go  into  Portuguese  territory  if  he  would 
avoid  being  deported. 

This  enforced  stay  in  Portuguese  territory  was  peri)lex- 
ing  and  discouraging,  a  sore  trial  both  to  our  missionaries  and 
the  friends  at  home,  and  it  looked  as  though  the  whole  plan 
of  our  work  would,  perforce,  have  to  be  changed.  Plowever, 
the  Association  was  put  in  a  proper  and  favorable  light  with 
the  British  government,  the  ban  was  removed,  and  ^Iv.  and 
Mrs.   Booth  returned  to  Blantyre  in  January,   1900. 

Mr.  Booth  once  more  actively  canvassed  the  region  round 
about,  looking  for  a  site  suitable  for  plantation  purposes. 

PLANTATION. 

Our  original  plan  was  to  purchase  1,000  acres  from  tho 
British  government,  till  the  virgin  soil,  and  spend  four  years 
in  bringing  the  plantation  to  bearing,  but  changes  are  going 
forward  in  Africa  as  in  civilized  countries,  and  Mr.  Booth 
found  that  land  had  douljled  in  valr.c  while  the  price  o{  labor 
had  quadrupled.  Some  six  months  are  also  required  to  obtain 
possession  of  land.  This  delay  would  not  allow  our  taking 
advantage  of  this  season. 

At  this  juncture,  through  Mr.  Miller,  manager  of  the 
Zambesi  Industrial  Mission  (founded  by  Mr.  Booth  during  his 
former  residence  in  Africa),  we  had  the  opportunity  of  pur- 
chasing a  large  plantation,  partly  in  bearing,  for  $15,000. 
Mr.  Booth  and  Mr.  Miller  lioth  pronounced  the  opportunity 
a  most  favorable  one. 


580  SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS  : 

The  officers,  though  staggered  by  the  proposition  to  raise 
so  much  money  on  so  short  notice,  considered  the  proposi- 
tion at  length,  and.  after  careful  thought,  submitted  the  case 
to  the  full  Board  of  Directors.  By  a  large  majority  they  fa- 
vored the  consummation  of  the  undertaking,  especially  as  it 
would  enable  us  to  save  the  two  seasons'  work  we  had  lost  by 
unforeseen  difficulties,  and  put  us  in  possession  of  income-bear- 
ing property.  Accordingly,  May  20,  1900,  the  Board  formally 
accepted  the  proposition  and  purchased  the  estate,  paying  $9,- 
761.70,  June  8,  1900,  and  giving  a  note,  without  interest,  due 
September  9,  1900,  for  £  1,000,  about  $5,000. 

The  plantation  consisted  of  2,001  acres,  by  government 
survey,  situated  about  thirty  miles  south  of  Blantyre ;  250 
acres  were  already  cleared  and  planted  with  about  300,000 
cofifee  trees.  A  comfortable  home  was  partly  built.  There 
were  also  store  house,  tools,  implements  and  coffee  pulper. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Booth  made  a  special  request  that  they  be 
allowed  to  choose  a  name  for  the  mission  and  call  it  "Plain- 
field," — not  in  honor  of  the  Plainfield  church,  but  to  com- 
memorate the  fact  that  it  was  in  Plainfield  that  God  made 
known  to  them  his  will  regarding  the  Sabbath-day. 

The  former  owner  had  allowed  the  weeds  to  grow  during 
the  rainy  season,  but  Mr.  Booth  soon  had  a  force  at  work, 
hoeing  and  cultivating  the  coffee  plants.  As  many  as  478 
were  employed  at  one  time. 

Man}'  women  were  among  the  workers,  some  choosing 
the  hardest  kind  of  work.  All  were  paid  according  to  the 
quantity  of  work  done,  thus  the  women  were  put  on  the  same 
basis  as  the  men.  After  the  day's  work  was  over  all  who 
wished  attended  a  service  of  song  and  worship,  usually  led 
by  some  native  Christian.  A  special  class  in  English  was  also 
taught  daily.  On  the  Sabbath  Mr.  Booth  had  a  congregation 
of  three  or  four  hundred — truly  a  goodly  number,  and  to  the 
credit  of  the  industrial  system.  There  the  natives  were  taught 
the  value  and  dignity  of  labor,  were  rewarded  for  their  indus- 
try, and  brought  daily  under   Christian  civilizing  influences. 

Meanwhile  knowledge  that  there  were  some  native  Sev- 
enth-day Baptists  located  on  the  Gold  Coast.  West  Africa, 
came  to  us   September   10,    1898,   when   the  first  letter   from 


EVANGELIZIXG  AXD  INDUSTRIAL  ASSOCIATION.  581 

these  people  was  read  before  the  Richburg,  N.  Y.,  church. 
From  the  first  they  wanted  to  know  more  of  us  as  a  people 
and  to  send  two  of  then'  young  men  to  this  country  to  be 
educated  for  missionary  work  among  their  own  people. 

The  friends  at  Ayan  Maim  had  shown  great  faith,  per- 
sistence and  earnestness,  and  had  repeatedly  implored  us  to 
send  a  missionary  and  school  teacher  to  them.  We  arranged 
with  Rev.  W.  C.  Daland,  then  pastor  of  the  London,  Eng., 
church,  to  go  to  them  and  minister  to  their  needs,  and  report. 
The  Association  paid  all  expenses,  the  Missionary  Society 
continuing  his  salary  the  three  months  he  was  absent  from 
the  London  church. 

Dr.  Daland  spent  over  three  weeks  at  Ayan  Maim,  bap- 
tizing twenty-two  persons,  organizing  them  into  a  church  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1900,  and  ordaining  Rev.  Joseph  Ammokoo  as  pas- 
tor, four  of  whose  sons  were  made  licentiate  preachers.  He 
also  opened  a  school  on  the  i6th  day  of  February,  taught  them 
many  hymns,  explained  church  methods  and  left  them  organ- 
ized for  both  religious  and  educational  work.  They  greatly 
desired  that  we  should  send  a  white  missionary  or  preacher 
and  it  is  necessary  that  some  one  go  if  this  work  is  to  go  for- 
ward and  prosper.  Although  our  work  was  chiefly  limited  to 
industrial  missions,  and  we  feel  we  ought  not  to  assume  addi- 
tional obligations,  we  did.  however,  undertake  to  support  the 
school  for  one  year  and  contribute  to  Rev.  Joseph  Ammokoo's 
salary  as  pastor  of  the  church  and  general  missionary. 

In  January,  1901,  the  charge  of  the  Gold  Coast  mission 
was  assumed  by  the  Missionary  Society. 

During  the  year  of  1899  the  directors  of  the  Association 
had  many  perplexing  problems  to  settle.  Unforeseen  circum- 
stances, such  as  the  failure  of  the  coffee  crop,  which  was  a 
widespread  misfortune,  together  with  the  great  difficulty  in 
controlling  a  work  located  12,000  miles  away,  created  grave 
anxieties.  In  his  haste  to  see  the  Lord's  work  accomjilished, 
Mr.  Booth  did  not  follow  principles  of  business  ])rudence  in 
his  administration  of  finances  and  involved  the  .Association 
very  deeply  in  debt.  When  word  came  that  he  must  return 
home  on  account  of  failing  health,  the  .Association  sent  Mr. 
Jacob  Bakker  to  take  his  place,  and,  after  thorough  considera- 


582  SE\'ENTIi-I)AV    baptists: 

tion  of  the  situation,  to  adjust  our  affairs  in  Africa  as  seemed 
best  in  his  judgment. 

Mr.  I'akker,  the  son  of  Rev.  J.  F.  Bakker,  pastor  of  our 
church  in  Rotterdam,  Holland,  was  consecrated  to  the  work  at 
a  special  service  in  his  home  church  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  Febru- 
ary 16,  1900,  and  four  days  later  sailed  for  the  African  field. 
Upon  his  arrival  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Booth  returned  to  America. 
Upon  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Booth  at  Plainfield,  X.  J.,  affairs  of 
the  Association  were  carefully  gone  over  in  a  series  of  con- 
ferences between  him  and  the  Directors,  and  after  consulting 
the  contributing  stockholders  by  letter  it  was  mutually  agreed 
between  Mr.  Booth  and  the  Association  on  December  3,  1901, 
to  terminate  the  contract  between  them,  the  Association  con- 
tinuing partial  salary  to  Mr.  Booth  for  four  months  for  the 
support  of  his  family  while  seeking  new  means  of  subsistence. 

Mr.  Booth  entered  into  communciation  with  the  Seventh- 
day  Adventists  and  arranged  to  depart  for  Africa  under  their 
auspices. 

The  Association  was  then  brought  face  to  face  with  the 
following  situation :  Its  industrial  plant  was  a  wreck,  on  ac- 
count of  the  total  failure  of  coffee  culture  in  that  section ;  it 
was  very  heavily  in  debt  as  a  result  of  the  management  of  its 
affairs  in  Africa ;  its  directors  feeling  personally  responsible 
financially  for  this  indebtedness  were  unable  to  assume  further 
pecuniary  responsibility  and  did  not  feel  warranted  in  making 
a  new  appeal  for  funds ;  our  former  agent  was  on  the  point  of 
setting  out  for  Eastern  Africa  under  the  direction  of  another 
Association  and  would  probably  sooner  or  later  overlap  our  field. 

Meanwhile  letters  from  Mr.  Bakker  regarding  the  relig- 
ious work  and  conditions  as  he  found  them  threw  a  very  dis- 
couraging light  on  the  whole  situation. 

At  this  juncture  through  a  conference  with  the 
Seventh-day  Adventists,  an  offer  of  $4,000  was  re- 
ceived from  them,  and  after  as  wide  a  consultation  as  possible 
with  the  members  of  the  Association  this  oft"er  was  accepted. 
Mr.  Bakker  was,  thereupon,  advised  to  settle  up  the  aft"airs  of 
the  Association  in  Africa  as  advantageously  as  possible  and, 
upon  the  arrival  of  the  representative  of  the  Seventh-day  Ad- 
ventists, to  return  home. 


EVANGELIZING  AND  INDUSTRIAL  ASSOCIATION.  583 

The  sum  received  from  the  Seventh-day  Adveiitists  in 
payment  for  the  plantation  was  used  to  reduce  the  indebted- 
ness of  the  Association,  but  it  left  a  considerable  amount  of 
notes  in  the  bank  still  unpaid.  These  notes  were  assumed  and 
paid  by  several  of  the  directors,  who  had  already  been  among 
the  largest  contributors,  and  the  Association  came  to  its  end. 

Such,  in  brief,  is  the  history  of  the  Sabbath  Evangelizing 
and  Industrial  Association  for  three  and  one-half  years  of  its 
existence.  Viewed  from  the  human  standpoint,  it  seems  writ- 
ten over  with  the  word  "Failure,"  since  it  has  fallen  short  of 
the  ideal  we  had  set.  It  cannot  be,  however,  that  the  cheerful 
giving  by  so  large  a  number  of  our  people,  and  the  prayers  to 
God  for  the  success  of  the  work  shall  be  without  result  in  time 
ot  come.  For  "every  man  shall  receive  his  own  reward  ac- 
cording to  his  own  labor.  We  are  laborers  together  with 
God,"  and  it  is  "God  that  giveth  the  increase." 


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